By The Sea
by Chrys-DASL
Summary: Francine thinks she has her life figured out. She's going to marry her fiancé, and like in all the fairy tales, she's going to live happily ever after. Except he dumps her, on her wedding day, and now the only thing she can do is keep moving forward. Her journey keeps taking her to warm sands and beautiful waters, but can she find love there? For my Summer of Love series.
1. Chapter 1

By The Sea

 **Part 1: The Honeymoon**

Chapter 1

Francine was letting her hairdresser work her magic. She'd hired the woman on a whim, but also because a friend of hers used the woman for her wedding and her hair looked like something out of a fairytale. She needed no instruction other than her style needed to accommodate her veil, which the woman said she could do in a very thick accent before getting to work. Francine watched in the mirror as her hair transformed, at least until the woman turned her chair.

She was facing the window now, looking down on the grounds of the lavish mansion. It belonged to her future husband's aunt, a woman who was wealthy beyond belief. She also happened to be a friend of Muffy's, but that just made it easier to tell her friend that she was getting married and all was well. Muffy was living overseas, so she offered to host their honeymoon on her island.

"Your own private island?" Francine had gasped.

Muffy scoffed, "Of course it is, but it's where I built the Crosswire Family Resorts. I mean, we do cater for families, but our honeymoon packages are divine. I'll hook you up!"

And that she did. After the wedding reception, Francine would be boarding a private jet with her new husband and heading to the island, which was somewhere in the Pacific. Her new passport was coming in handy for the trip, she decided as she looked out over the grounds. The lawn was in immaculate condition, and now it was done up for the wedding. The lawn was in its best possible shape, its bright green shining over the white chairs and white wedding arch set up for the ceremony.

Francine sighed as her maid of honor entered the room, a devilish look on her face, "In an hour, you're going to be Mrs. Jack Robinson! I'm SO happy for you!"

Her maid of honor was her best friend from college. They both studied history together, and now Francine was stuck trying to decide if she wanted to pursue her studies further or stick with the bachelor's degree and hope a good job came along, not that it would matter. Jack was rich beyond words, and while she did have to sign a prenup, he was going to give her the world. He promised as much, and Francine believed him.

"He's almost too good to be true. Are we sure no movies are missing their prince?" Francine asked.

Her maid of honor laughed, "Oh come on, Francine, just admit you're lucky! I can barely get a date, and here you are snagging a husband. I just can't believe it."

"How did you meet him again?" Catherine asked from behind her, her tone bored as she stared at her phone. Catherine wasn't upset about not being the maid of honor, but she was irritated that her baby sister was getting married first to the hunk of a man that was Jack Robinson. Jealousy showed itself as boredom—she'd surely be complaining for years.

Francine sighed, "Well, I was doing an internship at the city's archives in Metropolis, and he came in with his mother to look through some genealogy files. I was assigned to the case, helping him see who had land in the area first, his great-great-great grandfather or his great-great-great-great uncle. It took a while to figure out the mystery because they both seemed to have the same name. As it turns out, the uncle had everything, not the grandfather, so the argument was settled.

"But we kept seeing each other. He invited me out for dinner a few times, and I thought he was just trying to thank me until he asked me out to a play. He had a private booth, and I honestly can't remember the play. As soon as the house lights went down, he started kissing me like the world was ending—"

"And you haven't come up for air since," Catherine interrupted, rolling her eyes as a knock sounded at the door. The maid of honor stood, opening the door and being pulled out into the hallway by whoever was on the other side.

Francine looked over the lawn and noticed people were milling about far more than they were before. The official ceremony was over an hour away, so people were supposed to be downstairs enjoying the pre-wedding reception, something she insisted on because of Muffy. Her childhood friend had seen hundreds of weddings between her family, friends, and resort patrons, and she convinced Francine this was the best thing to do for guests who could be waiting hours if anything went wrong.

Except now they were on the lawn instead of inside. Francine wondered if there was a gas leak or something else that would cause them to evacuate the building. She was still in the grips of the hairdresser, so she sent Catherine outside to see what was happening. Her other bridesmaids, both of them Jack's cousins, joined her outside.

Whispers grew fierce until finally the door was shoved open. The maid of honor asked the hairdresser to leave. When the woman refused, the maid of honor threatened to hurl her out the window.

Francine went pale, "This is serious, isn't it? Has Jack's grandmother fallen ill?" she asked.

The woman was ancient, older than anyone else in either of their families, and no one was sure how the woman, who had been smoking daily since she was twelve and was now nearing a hundred, was still alive. She was certain the woman would die at her wedding, just fall out during the vows and turning into a poof of dust, but this clearly wasn't the answer.

Francine cocked her head, "Just say it. Please, don't torture me like this," she whispered as the hairdresser finally left the room. She must've been in the middle of a braid, Francine thought, because she could feel her hair falling as the woman ranted in a foreign language in the hallway.

"Francine, I'm so, so sorry," the maid of honor whispered.

"Sorry for what?" Francine demanded.

"It's Jack," she said, handing her a letter. It was addressed to Francine in Jack's hand, but Francine couldn't possibly predict what was inside. She accepted it and looked up to her maid of honor, who shook her head, "I'm sorry. He's left."

"He's left me at the altar?" Francine murmured.

Her maid of honor nodded as the tears flowed. The maid of honor was clearly out of her element and helped take down her hair. The hairdresser returned for her supplies and helped to rip everything out, snatching up every bobby pin and throwing them into her bag.

The other bridesmaids didn't return, but for that Francine was grateful. Now that her fairytale husband was just that, an urban legend, Catherine would hold it over her head for ages. She always had to be better than Francine, so she'd probably pull her gorgeous fairytale fiancé out at any time to one-up the jilted lover. It was too much to take in.

Soon the hairdresser was gone, so Francine asked the maid of honor to wait downstairs for her. Francine pulled out her travel bag and changed into the outfit she'd picked for the trip to the airport. She put on the shirt, which had BRIDE written in large curling letters over the front of it, inside out so no one could see. Then she took off her makeup and picked up her cellphone. She texted Muffy the horrible news and turned off her phone, stomping downstairs.

"Did you get the letter?" the maid of honor asked meekly.

"I left it. Whatever he has to say, I don't need to know. Go get it yourself if it's so important," Francine fired back, getting into the back of the car and putting on her dark sunglasses. She'd packed them for the trip, not for her journey to the airport. Her plane wouldn't leave until that night, but sitting around at the airport was better than being in a house that probably never wanted to see the likes of her again.

The maid of honor disappeared into the house, so Francine gave her directions to the driver. As they pulled away, they passed people mingling on the lawn. Everyone looked like they were enjoying the party, their glasses overflowing with expensive wines and champagne. It was as if they couldn't be bothered to care that a relationship had just ended, that a girl's heart had been shattered by a letter. I mean, there was booze, so why not have a big, grand party at someone else's expense?

Francine looked away, staring out the front of the windshield as they made the hour-long journey to the airport. Once there, she let the officials know she was there, expecting to grab a few magazines and bury herself in airport life for the next seven hours.

"Your plane is waiting for you, Miss Frensky," the attendant smiled, pointing to a small private jet sitting on the runway. A pilot was climbing inside, his dark blue uniform a contrast to the plane's shining white hull.

"Miss Frensky?" Francine whispered.

"That is you, isn't it?" the woman asked, looking down to her notes, "Your friend was very specific that we call you that or Francine."

Francine somehow managed a smile, "Yes, Miss Frensky is fine. Have a nice day," she said, strutting towards the plane. She boarded and listened to the pre-flight instructions from the stewardess, whom she dismissed as soon as they were airborne.

Then, and only then, she let the tears come, sobbing into the empty seat beside her as she wondered where it all went wrong.

A/N: Welcome to my first longer Summer of Love piece. Yes, this is still going to be a romance despite poor Francine being left by her lover on what was supposed to be their wedding day. I'm not sure where this is going, so I'm going to rate it T just in case, M if I need to but I'll probably stick to T. I don't know how long this will be either, but I need a million words this year, so I'm hoping this goes on for quite a while. I also hope you guys enjoy it. I know I am so far.

Edit: This piece did end up very long. I hope you guys are in for a good ride because I can't wait to share this with you guys.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Muffy's private island felt like they were on the mainland again. After flying for hours and hours over the ocean, they finally came up on a huge piece of land covered in tropical foliage and surrounded by white sand beaches. The runway was next to one of these beaches, and Francine looked out over the water before descending the jet's stairs.

Muffy was dressed in a uniform and greeted Francine with what was obviously a scripted greeting. Francine raised an eyebrow but decided not to ask questions. She was just happy to have an escort after their many hours in the air. She spent most of them crying, and now her eyes were swollen and hard to see out of. Her sunglasses were a necessity as Muffy led her to the airport's one large terminal.

After her bags were inspected for anything she shouldn't have, Muffy hinted that they should use the bathroom. This threw Francine for a loop, but she followed Muffy into the women's restroom, which was really its own room with a toilet, sink, and a shower.

"What are you…?"

"IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!" Muffy exclaimed, tackling her friend, "I'm so sorry but Daddy says I have to be professional at all times when I'm working, even when I told him what happened, so I had to do all that tourism crap with you, and I'm SO sorry! Are you okay? When do we hide the body?"

"I haven't seen him," Francine said.

Muffy's mouth fell open, "You haven't seen him? He dumped you and you haven't even seen him?"

"He sent up a letter. He'd already left the property. But it was our wedding day, Muffy. Tradition means he wasn't supposed to see me anyway," Francine explained.

Muffy shook her head, "I don't care about tradition, I care about him leaving you like that. Where's the letter? Have you burned it?"

"No, I left it in the room. My maid of honor asked if I had it, but I left it. I guess she has it now."

Muffy's shocked face turned into a smile, "You didn't even give him the light of day. You're going to be just fine, I know it!"

"Then why does it feel like he ripped my heart out…?" Francine trailed off, breaking down into tears.

"Oh no, honey, we don't cry on private islands. Come on, pull it together and I'll drive you to your private villa—"

"I have a whole fucking house to myself?!" Francine sobbed, "It'll be so empty!"

"I'll come stay with you. I always stay in the empty villas, except during peak times, and then I stay in our private villa, where Daddy spends his days. He won't mind that, but we can't go out if I'm on the clock, okay? I really love this job, so if I screw up, he'll send me back to school."

"At least you have something to go back to!" Francine groaned, sinking to the floor.

"Oh dear," Muffy sighed, "Honey, listen," she said, squatting down to Francine's level, "You can cry it out in the car, okay? I'm on a strict schedule, and as much as I want to join your little pity party, I—"

"It's not a pity party!" Francine screamed.

"Then get up and let's go," Muffy countered, standing and offering her a hand. Francine nearly pulled her down getting up, but at least she was up. Tears streamed down her cheeks as they exited to the parking lot, which contained more company vehicles than other cars. Muffy noticed Francine's look and smiled, "Daddy needed to do something with the last cars that wouldn't sell. He couldn't let them go to that other guy, so he had them imported here."

"Tell me about this place," Francine sniffled, eager for the distraction as she got in the back of an open top Jeep. Francine's bags were already in the back seat, probably put there by one of the strong men meandering in the airport.

Muffy smiled as she cranked the Jeep, "Well, this is my mother's vision, but Daddy made it work. She got an inheritance when my grandmother died, a huge one, and she got to thinking about this resort idea again. Like other private resorts, we offer the best possible care for however long you want to be here. We're the permanent home of two other families, and both simply couldn't be bothered to leave. We have everything here, from golf to hiking to anything you want to do. There's a pamphlet in your room that contains a calendar for our many events. If you want to do something that's not listed, just let your liaison know. I am that person for you, so call me any time and we'll make it work for you. Most food can be provided too, though there is a wait for some items. Now, the only fruit we have is what you see here. Daddy made sure to abide by Hawaii's strict environment laws to prevent contamination. We're not Hawaii, but honestly, we're better than Hawaii. You get all the fun without all the damn tourists."

"So your father bought this huge private island for your mother?" Francine asked, somehow feeling better now that Muffy was dominating the conversation with things that had nothing to do with her life.

Muffy laughed, "I mean, Daddy would buy us anything, but yes, he bought this island at rock-bottom prices. He negotiated five million off the price—"

"Five Million? With an M?" Francine gasped.

"Well the island did cost thirty million, so yeah, he brought down the price. All of these villas were already here, but we had a lot of clean up to do. There was a volcano and a tsunami or something like that. I honestly don't know, but once it was cleaned up, he called us and asked us to come. Mom runs the café in the downtown area, and Daddy handles all the business stuff. Vendors, renters, maintenance, and everything in between. It's a ton of work, but for twenty-five hundred a night—"

"Muffy, I can't pay that! Jack's the one who made the reservation here!" Francine exclaimed, her face falling as she realized the weight of her words.

Muffy tapped her arm, "Francine, refunds are at our discretion. He'll get half his money back, but we won't give him the whole thing. Besides, you're here now, and he doesn't matter anymore. If he can't even be bothered to tell you why he couldn't marry you on your wedding day, then he probably wasn't right for you anyway. We've done hundreds of destination weddings, and let me tell you, you know. The couple doesn't always know, but everyone else does."

"So you're telling me that everyone probably knew that was going to happen?" Francine asked angrily.

"Well, probably not everyone, but a lot of people. They wouldn't say anything though and you know it. Remember in high school when I dated Buster, and everyone, literally _everyone_ , thought we were wrong for each other, but we stayed together for like three months? Yeah, no one said a word. Looking back, it was obvious. We were arguing within the first week, and we spent half that time not speaking to each other, and no one said a word because they didn't want to hurt our feelings. They knew we'd figure it out eventually, though I guess it would've been nice to know sooner—"

"You weren't getting married though. It was high school. I don't even remember who all I dated in high school," Francine argued.

"Yeah, because somebody filled out and got all Hot Mama on everyone and couldn't keep the boys off of her," Muffy smirked, shaking her head as she pulled up at a house, THE house where Francine would spend the next two weeks, alone whenever Muffy wasn't with her. As Francine stared in disbelief, Muffy sighed, "You're still bombshell, Francine. There's currently fifty guests on the island, and over half of them are men looking to mingle, rich men that'll make Jack look like some little kid pretending to be a grown man."

"I didn't come here to look for love, Muffy," Francine sighed, helping her carry her bags inside the house. It was gorgeous, everything she hoped for, except it looked more homely than she'd seen in the pictures. Muffy winked at her as she put her things in one of the back bedrooms, the one that overlooked the beach and eventually the ocean if you peered out behind the trees just right.

"Well, I hope love finds you while you're here," Muffy said, turning on the light to the bathroom, "I moved you here because I knew it'd be better for you to heal and everything, but you can't dwell on this or suddenly you'll be in your mid-sixties with seventeen cats wondering where it all went wrong. You can't become that person, Francine. You're not even thirty yet."

"Well I feel eighty, maybe even a hundred. Maybe I'll just drop dead—"

"Hey, hey now, no, we don't talk like that at my resort, okay? Look, here's the pamphlet. You just had a long flight, so you get today and tomorrow to mope around like some little lost princess waiting for her prince to come along. The day after tomorrow? You're going to find yourself. You're right, you don't have to go out looking for love, but you will participate in the events here. Besides, you have to make the most of that nonrefundable trip you're on. I mean, some of these things cost quite a bit of money, like the scuba classes—"

"I can barely swim. Why would I want to go scuba diving?" Francine fired back.

Muffy smirked, "Because it's almost a thousand dollars per class and you want to spite him, don't you?"

"I thought I was supposed to forget him?" Francine argued.

"Yes, you should forget him, but you must grieve his loss before you can forget him. Acceptance is the final stage. Right now you're in denial, but you'll be at the anger stage soon enough. Plus, I'd rather you stick it to him money-wise than tear this room all to hell. If you get fighting mad, take it out on the beach, okay? It's a hundred times cheaper and I won't hate you for it. I love this house. If I could pick one to live in forever, it'd be this one, okay? Treat it well," Muffy said, checking her phone, "I have to go. Call me if you need me, but know that I'm on a private hiking tour with a family of six, one mom and five fucking kids, so I probably won't be able to pry their sticky little hands off me."

"How can a single mom afford to be here?" Francine asked with a judgmental tone.

Muffy laughed, "Oh, honey, alimony is one hell of a drug. We don't ask questions, but yeah, alimony or child support, take your pick. Not our problem, you know?" Muffy said, heading out the door.

Francine lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. The wooden beams were made of some exotic wood she didn't recognize, probably something from the island itself that they wanted to recycle if they were following Hawaii's rules. She'd done a paper on their history while in school, and Jack had been kind enough to fly her there to confirm her sources. It was the best paper she'd written in school, the kind the professor would talk about until they eventually dropped dead at their desk.

And Jack had ruined it.

Francine sighed heavily, expecting the next deluge of tears, but they didn't come. She must've been out at the moment, she thought, turning over and looking out the door. A small balcony-like deck was outside the room. It barely lifted above the foliage below, but the shrubs didn't need much height. It was dark from the tropical trees surrounding the house, at least for a few hundred yards before the blinding white sands met her eyes. Francine squinted, and, sure enough, the ocean was right there. She could hear it, at least when the birds quit screaming at the top of their lungs. It felt like she was in the jungle, she decided, stepping inside and changing into her beach outfit. She went out the house's back door and followed a stone path out to the sand.

The Pacific greeted her with a huge roaring wave. Francine looked across the horizon and saw small fishing boats, a few sail boats, and a giant yacht with a party on its top deck. Two bikini-clad women dove into the water, a man's guttural laugh carrying over the sea as he watched.

Francine shook her head and looked over the beach. It was blissfully empty, so she strolled down to the water and dipped in her toes. It was as warm as she hoped, so she waded in, stopping when the water reached her knees. The water simply didn't get deeper, so she squatted down, letting the next wave push her around. She swam, making a circle as the wave broke and returned to the sea.

She hadn't been to the ocean since that trip to Hawaii. Jack paid for surfing lessons, then they spent the night on the beach with some locals throwing a luau. She hula danced with women she knew she'd never see again while he sat with the men, laughing from the rum drinks they'd been heavily pouring all night. Francine didn't want cocktails, just juice, and that's what he got for her. He was always taking care of her, at least until now.

Francine walked closer to the shore and sat down in the water, letting the next wave push her backwards. She could feel the sand getting where it didn't belong, but she didn't care. The tears didn't come, so she enjoyed the discomfort. Thankfully nothing stung or bit her as she sat in the sand, soaking in the sun and being pushed around by the waves.

Eventually she tired and waded out to wash off the sand. She had to squat down again, but it was nice to know she could walk out so far if she wanted to without the waves going over her head. It was a secret dream of hers just to walk around forever, walking all the way around the island if she could. That was her plan with Jack, to walk with him hand-in-hand as much as they could, but now that was gone. She could still walk alone, she decided, but she knew she'd have to watch out for other beach goers. From her spot, she could hear a family playing around a bend of trees, and she could hear a small party going on at one of the neighboring villas.

Francine returned to her own, following the stone path and happily stopping off at the outdoor shower. She was completely secluded, so she took off her sandy swim trunks and let the water get the sand out of all the places it shouldn't be. There wasn't a towel at the outdoor shower, probably because most people didn't strip out of their swim suit, but she didn't think it'd be a problem. She strolled up to the house naked.

As soon as she opened the door, she gasped and hid behind a curtain. A worker boy was there delivering food, and he got a good view of her before she hid. _At least I got a good wax before I came,_ Francine thought, asking the guy to grab her a towel. She did and looked away while she covered herself, but he didn't leave.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"You have a dinner reservation tonight at the Parrot Café in our downtown area with Miss Muffy. Would you like to walk, bike, or ride in a car?" he asked with a Latin accent.

Francine thought for a moment, "I mean, how far is it?"

He produced a map and handed it to her, "Walking takes twenty minutes, biking five to ten, and the car just a couple."

"I'll walk, thank you," she said, looking over the spread. There were two fruit trays, a finger sandwich plate, and three bottles of wine.

"Enjoy your party," the guy said, waving and disappearing out the front door. He got onto a little moped and got back to the main road, disappearing behind the trees.

"Why all the food?" Francine sighed, looking over the trays. She had some of the fresh pineapple and somehow managed to open the first bottle of wine. Underneath was a flower card, but Muffy had improvised, writing a large _Enjoy!_ on the front of it. Francine shook her head and went into her room, where she changed into a maxi dress, leaving off her underwear so she could dry. It was humid, but it wasn't unbearably hot as she curled up in the living room and turned on the television. Satellite barely covered the island, but they did have good enough internet for Netflix. Francine logged into her account and scrolled through her options.

Her "recently watched" category made her ill. Everything was a romantic comedy or something to help prepare her for the wedding. She'd used the romantic movies during her bachelorette party, which was a tame affair in her apartment with her bridesmaids, as well as Jack's stuck-up sister and a few extra cousins. They were insufferable and sat on the couch the whole time eating snacks while the girls did each other's nails and face masks. It was a nice day, more tame than she wanted but good enough for her. Now she wanted that nail polish gone, she decided, even though her maid of honor had done a good job. She also wanted to nuke her "recently watched" shows from existence, but she resisted the urge.

On a whim, she put on a show from her childhood and binge watched until she managed to fall asleep on the couch. Somehow she managed not to dream, though waking up was hard when it felt like her own life was the dream, the nightmare in disguise. But she woke up anyway, putting on her underwear and some comfortable sandals before beginning her walk to the restaurant.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Muffy was dressed up like an American princess when Francine go to the restaurant. Francine quickly realized this was supposed to be a romantic dinner with her "new husband," but Muffy had adjusted everything accordingly. The only thing she couldn't cancel were the flowers, a bouquet of Francine's favorite choices that sat off to the side of the table.

"You showed up," Muffy grinned, helping her friend into her seat.

Francine looked up, "Why wouldn't I?"

"From what Manuel told me, I figured you'd hop the next boat out of here or walk straight out into the ocean. He said you looked amazing by the way," Muffy grinned, popping an appetizer into her mouth. It was some sort of savory puff pastry thing, the kind of thing Jack liked but Francine was still unsure about, even after having many different types with Muffy's family over the years. Muffy caught her gaze, "I know it's not your favorite, but I could only change so much. Be glad I got rid of the musicians."

"He got a band?" Francine asked with a shocked tone.

Muffy laughed, "Of course he did. This was supposed to be your first formal dinner as a married couple. Now he's rotting in Hell wherever he went, and you're here with me, in heaven, telling me about how awful your wedding was going to be anyway."

"My wedding was going to be beautiful," Francine argued fiercely.

Muffy shook her head, "Every wedding has its problems. Sometimes you're just so exhausted that it shadows the whole day, sometimes the food was wrong, but sometimes it was noticeable from the start. I know yours had glaring problems from the start, so now you just have to tell me everything and let me figure out what it was. Let's start with your bridal party. Who was your maid of honor?"

"My best friend from college," Francine said flatly, accepting a glass of wine from the waiter. There was no need to place a food order. Whatever Jack had put together was what they were getting, so she'd just have to wait and hope for the best.

"So, was it Carly or Sam or Linda? I don't know who you went to college with. The only one I formally met was that Ashley girl, and she was insufferable, a total glory hog, and I should know. I'm a glory hog too," Muffy smirked.

"You are, but she's not. She was the perfect maid of honor," Francine replied.

Muffy raised an eyebrow, "More perfect than me?"

"Well, she helped cater to his family too. His cousins were in the wedding party, the sisters he spent his summers with. Other cousins were at the bachelorette party too, and Ashley helped include them. You would've told everyone to go fuck themselves and we would've had the party I wanted—"

"See, mistake number one," Muffy interrupted, a wide grin forming on her lips, "You didn't get the party you wanted."

"Well it was a spa day movie thing, and I wanted drinking and bars, maybe a strip club or two," Francine explained.

Muffy shrugged, "See? You'll remember that forever, plus having his family in the bridal party is just poor taste on his part. He insisted, didn't he?"

"No, I met them at a family function and decided they were a good fit. They were nice enough, way better than Catherine. She didn't want to be there at all—"

"Wait, so Catherine was in the wedding party but WASN'T the maid of honor, and you're all 'well she was so out of it!' Of course she was, Francine! You jilted her!" Muffy exclaimed.

Francine shook her head, "She didn't want to be there at all. I asked her to be my maid of honor a week after he proposed, but she said no."

Muffy scoffed, "So your sister was an insufferable bitch from day one, got it. Why?"

"Her baby sister was marrying a dude with a lot of money, a good-looking dude with a lot of money, and she can barely get a date. She didn't even have a date for the wedding. She was walking with Jack's friend down the aisle, some guy I don't remember—"

Muffy laughed, "Wow, that's pretty bad if you can't even remember his friends. That causes problems later in the marriage."

"What?" Francine asked, leaning back as the main course arrived. It was one large plate of spaghetti they were supposed to share Lady and the Tramp style. Muffy demanded plates before turning back to her friend:

"So, your wedding party is supposed to have friends and family you find important. The best man is always his best friend in the world, then come the rest. These are the people who are supposed to protect the couple at all costs, you know? Except they're also the bozos your husband will spend all his time with whenever he's not with you. Trust me, a man's friends have to be considered before you get married. I know three different couples broke up over that just in the last year—"

"How could you know that?" Francine asked, accepting her plate from the waiter and unwrapping her silverware.

Muffy scoffed, "How do you think we fill this place? On my quiet days, I help with the social media aspect, which means keeping track of couples that have already been here. I mean, this is a top family vacation spot, so we keep up hoping they'll come here with their future babies, you know? Except sometimes you see all those quotes they've shared that show they're either unhappy and together, unhappy and separated, or flat-out divorced. It's easy to tell, and I know three lost out to their man's friends because they said so on their pages."

"But I liked Jack's friends—"

"You just said you couldn't remember the one's name."

"Because I'd just met him. He lived on the other coast," Francine argued.

Muffy shook his head, "Still, he wasn't memorable. That could mean he had boring friends, which means he never leaves except to do unknown things, which is worse. Did he ever leave to do unknown things while you were together? I know you haven't lived together for long, but you'd know."

"He had business trips, but most of those were with his family. He was going into his mother's business, some law firm thing. They travelled a lot to visit various properties—"

"To do what? That sounds fake as hell," Muffy said.

Francine shrugged, "I never asked because it didn't matter. They had pictures with each other from the trips. I even drove them to the airport a few times."

"He could still be having an affair with his own mother, which is seriously the worst possible thing for ANY marriage," Muffy said sternly. Francine shot her a look, so Muffy continued, "So, your mother-in-law is rarely your best friend. In fact, it's cool to have a little animosity. Like, my mother could never cook to my grandmother's standards, so it was always causing little petty arguments. They'd bring the same dishes to family functions they were both supposed to attend, but it never got worse than that. It was barely noticeable.

"Now, some mothers-in-law make Disney villains look like happy-go-lucky amazing people. The worst I saw was the woman who wore a full wedding gown to her son's wedding, like veil and everything. Luckily his own sister spilled wine ALL over the front of it and we avoided complete catastrophe because she had to leave, but that marriage has seriously bad problems, like I don't know how they're still together problems. You see, they're in a relationship with their mom, so their mom sees this new girl as a threat to what's hers. Some of those get REALLY nasty."

"How nasty?"

"Like, one of our brides was allergic to tree nuts, and she tried to get us to change our wedding cake to one that had nuts in it, like a Nutella icing instead of plain chocolate," Muffy replied.

"My god, that's awful! She could've killed her!" Francine gasped.

Muffy shrugged, "But she couldn't possibly REALLY be allergic, right? She just doesn't want me to be with my baby," Muffy mocked, nodding to a shocked Francine, "That would've been her argument had our chef not told her that was an impossible request. Mom already knew those sorts of things happened, with angry mothers-in-law calling and pretending to be the bride so she can fuck everything up, sometimes even cancel orders completely, so we have a password system. No password, no change. We've got security questions as a back-up just in case the password choice sucks."

Francine sighed, "So you're telling me that because he went on business trips with his mom like they were on a date, she could've tried to ruin our marriage from the start?"

"Or worse, perhaps. I'm speculating to help you see that this was probably doomed from the start," Muffy replied.

"But it wasn't. His mother liked me, and she got on well with my mother at the bridal shower—wait, do I have to give back those gifts?"

Muffy scoffed, "I'm the wrong person to ask. One half of me says keep it out of greed. I mean, who doesn't need matching Panini presses? The other half? You don't even want to know," she smirked.

"Bon fire?"

"You've known me for far too long, Francine. We're beginning to think alike," Muffy grinned.

"Well that was my thought earlier, on the walk over here. I could burn it all away. I mean, even if he does come back, I'd be a fool to say yes," Francine murmured.

"You're already on the path forward if you're thinking like that," Muffy said, taking Muffy's hand in hers, "It's going to be a hard journey, the hardest of your life, but if you do what I've said, you'll be fine. Tomorrow, take the day to yourself. I've already made sure there's towels outside so you don't flash the cabana boy again," she grinned.

"And after that, I have to go out and do something, alone," Francine whispered.

Muffy shook her head, "People will be at every one of those activities. It might only be one person, or we might have thirty people. I don't know what it'll be like, but you won't be alone except in that villa of yours when I'm not there. I'm done for tonight, and my plan is to hit up the bar when I'm done here. You don't have to join me, but it beats walking alone in the rain."

"Rain?" Francine asked, turning around. Sure enough it was pouring outside, dark tropical clouds hovering over the island like a shield made of rain. Lightning flashed across the sky as Francine turned around again.

"So, drinks? I get an employee discount, though yours can be charged to your account—"

"That wouldn't be fair. What if he charges me with fraud?"

"For taking the honeymoon you were supposed to take already, the nonrefundable one? Chip is a lawyer, you know. We can find a way around that," Muffy countered.

Francine sighed, "But…what about when this is over? I'm here for two weeks, then I have to go back home and figure out what to do with my life. I was going to work with his family's company, but I can't exactly do that now."

"We'll think of something. What better place to come up with your next step than a private tropical island in the middle of the largest ocean on the planet?" Muffy grinned, looking up as the dessert arrived. It was a cheesecake for the two of them, a strawberry one in the shape of a heart. Two spoons were delivered as an older couple glared at the two girls.

"Might as well eat it," Francine sighed.

Muffy grabbed her fork and turned to the women, "What else is she going to do when her groom leaves her on her wedding day?" she called out.

The woman gasped and looked on sympathetically. Francine fired off a dirty look to Muffy, who simply grinned back, "What? You want them to think we're a lesbian couple here to destroy the world? I mean, we do want to watch certain things burn, but we definitely wouldn't last as a couple. I'd eat you alive."

"You would," Francine agreed, taking a bite of the cheesecake. She knew it would've been better if Jack were here feeding it to her, but feeding herself while her best friend helped her figure out what to do with her life was nice.

When they were finished, the rain wasn't as heavy, so they walked to the island's only bar. It was done up with a tiki theme, which Francine wasn't particularly fond of, but it was comfortable enough. She charged the drinks to her account and ordered whatever Muffy told her to. They both received cored-out pineapples slap full of what smelled like the strongest drink Francine had ever had.

"Are you sure this will help me?" Francine asked.

Muffy scoffed, "Trust me, Francine. It's time for you to let your guard down and live a little. How are you going to forget this groom guy if you don't get as far from your old life as possible? What could be farther than drinking cocktails out of a real pineapple on a private island thousands of miles away?"

"You're right, but…what will you do if he tries to come here?"

"He won't, but if he does, we'll keep him away. I've had to tell some people so they could accommodate your new plans accordingly, so they know and are on your team. Seriously, you're in the best possible place. I just wish you had more than two weeks here. I have some night activities starting tomorrow night, so I won't see you unless you're in my group, which you won't be. I likely won't see you except for breakfast, but I have to wake up early, which you'll be in no state to do tomorrow once I'm through with you tonight," Muffy grinned.

Francine looked up from her drink, "Yours isn't alcoholic, is it?"

"Hey, I need to get you home safe tonight, so yes, I only have a splash in mine. Yours has half the bar, as it should. Let me know when you need another," Muffy grinned.

Francine shook her head, "He should be happy you weren't in the wedding like I wanted."

"And why is that?"

"You would've burned the house down with him still in it," Francine grinned.

Muffy shrugged, "I do have my strengths. It would've been better, but that's why you're here. I want you to find someone again, maybe not here, but soon. You'll fall in deeper love than you've ever felt in your whole life, and then you'll have the proper wedding you wanted. Plus, he'll be better in bed," Muffy winked. Francine shook her head. Muffy's mouth fell open, "You never had sex with him? No wonder he left you!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Francine cried.

"You have to test the product before you lock yourself into an indefinite contract with it," Muffy argued loudly, shaking her head, "Plus, he might've been frustrated. I bet he was having an affair—"

"Jack would never cheat!"

"Well what were you waiting for anyway? I know you're not a virgin," Muffy huffed.

Francine sighed, "He wanted to wait. I thought it was noble—"

"Oh dear god, you were the other woman. No wonder—I'll stop, I'll stop! But Francine, honey, you just dodged the biggest bullet ever, and his name was Jack Robinson," Muffy said firmly.

"Was?"

"If I have my way, you'll never see him again," Muffy said firmly, gesturing the bartender, "Make sure she gets another."

"I'm only half-way through with this one," Francine slurred.

Muffy shook her head, "You're going to need more than that tonight, trust me."

An hour later, one pineapple was empty of booze and the second was getting there. A third was on its way when Muffy decided Francine had plenty. She helped get the girl home, stumbling on the muddy path back to the villa. Muffy helped undress Francine and got her in the shower, where she cleaned off the mud and the vomit that came after. Francine was sloppy drunk now, refusing to stand. Muffy helped her into the bathtub, leaving her naked before heading into Francine's room. Muffy was supposed to sleep in the room across the villa, but she stayed nearby just in case her friend needed her.

Well after midnight, Francine's sobs woke Muffy from a deep sleep. As she sobbed, Francine said Jack's name, so Muffy listened closer. Her words had sank in, and now Francine was convinced she'd been left for another woman. Muffy shrugged, knowing she was probably right. She had plenty of wedding and marriage experience despite being a single woman. She'd seen enough to know by now, and if that wasn't Jack's dirty secret, there were plenty more to choose from. If Francine had his letter, they'd probably already know, but Muffy didn't blame her for leaving it behind. That part of her life was over now, but it still needed a conclusion and some healing, which would take a long time to achieve.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Francine was shocked to wake up alone and naked in the bathtub of all places, but she soon knew it was the best place for her. Nausea hit her like a truck, and there was no making it to the toilet on time. She sat as far back as she could and threw up whatever was in her, coughing loudly in the empty villa. She used the tub's faucet to rinse her mouth out before washing her face and cleaning up her mess. Drinking the water made her feel much better, but her head was still pounding. She drank for as long as she could before standing and heading into the kitchen.

Muffy had a "handy hangover kit" delivered complete with bottled water, food, and Tylenol. Francine forgot she was in a foreign place when it came to the water, but she trusted to Crosswire's to spare no expense in purifying the island's water. Knowing them, they had a bottled water company ship in enough to fill the island's supplies, but Francine didn't actually know. She hoped for the best as she nibbled on a few of the snacks Muffy had delivered. After a while with no more vomiting, she ate some more, and then she hit up the fridge for more food. Finding the remains of yesterday's trays, she had a few finger sandwiches before heading back to her room.

Francine decided she'd walk around the island using the beach as a path. She put on a bathing suit under her maxi dress, as well as a pair of shorts to keep her legs from chafing. She grabbed a bottle of water and her purse before heading down the stone path.

The beach was exactly how she left it, except the sun was directly in front of her. Francine knew it was still quite early despite her late night of drinking, which meant her room likely had a sunrise view if she was up early enough. She made a mental note before looking around her. She took off her sandals and walked to the water's edge, following to her right to avoid the children behind her. Their mother was screaming after them about sunscreen, but Francine could hear their splashing over the waves until she got far enough away.

As she rounded the bend, Francine took in just what the island was. Somehow they'd gotten enough money to buy the entire island and maybe three dozen buildings total. Some were obviously larger and used for community things, but others were clearly houses. Francine knew that if she'd walked the other direction, she'd see more suites, with the honeymoon cabin probably being the most secluded of all. Francine was grateful for the move as she reached the beaches behind the public buildings. Staff members put up umbrellas as patrons read newspapers and sipped their morning coffee.

On a whim, she decided to get a cup herself, charging a large latte to her room. She sat outside, squinting as she looked out over the water. A small group of snorkelers was venturing out to the end of the beach, probably a quarter of a mile out. As one, the group dove under the water, and Francine lost sight of them completely until they surfaced at different rates. She could practically see their delighted faces as they looked at the island's wildlife swimming below the surface.

"Snorkeling is my favorite activity," the waiter said. Francine, startled, looked up and saw he'd already delivered her coffee and a few napkins. The waiter smiled to her, "I'm sorry to scare you. It is quite easy to get pulled in by the view. For the best one, you should cross the island and take a tour of our lighthouse. Ed Crosswire remodeled it when he decided to rebuild the harbor."

"Did he rebuild this entire island from scratch?" Francine inquired.

"Yes. My family lived here many years ago. A hurricane, as you Americans say, spun up and destroyed nearly everything. Very few of us remained when he arrived. He bought the island for a few million of your dollars, then everything else went to the remodel. It was quite a sum of money, and my family was scared we were going to lose our homes when it all started. I am happy to say that was not the case," he smiled, turning to her, "My mother and sisters work in different kitchens around the island, and my youngest sister is a private chef for one of the permanent families. My brothers and I work jobs like this."

"Wow, I never thought he'd be so generous," Francine whispered.

"You know Mr. Crosswire?"

"I grew up with his daughter Muffy," Francine nodded, "and they were quite rich. I think they still own their house in the town we grew up in, but I haven't been home in so long. I don't know if I'll go back or not," Francine sighed.

The waiter's eyes grew wide, "Miss Frensky, oh, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you before. I apologize."

"No, it's fine," Francine said firmly. _How many people did she tell about my problems?_ Francine thought angrily.

"Your friend is a good friend. She told us to be nice to you but not to pry. I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I do hope you go out snorkeling. If you'll excuse me," he said, rushing quickly back to the counter as if a customer had appeared, but Francine glanced through the window and saw no one else in the shop.

Francine sighed as she looked out over the water. She felt empty inside, almost as if she felt nothing at all, as she took in the view. She was amazed to be so far from home still. Just thinking about how far she'd traveled and how long she'd been on the private jet, not counting the delays in refueling along the way, was enough to blow her mind. Math wasn't exactly her best subject, but she knew it was quite the trip, one she may not make again, especially for whatever Jack paid for the villa. Twenty-five hundred a night was quite a lot of money, especially for someone with no job and no future.

Francine looked down to her coffee and stared at the neat design they'd left on the top. It was a palm tree, faded some now that the coffee was cooling and settling, but it was tropical enough. The coffee itself was bold and rich, instantly making her feel fancy and superior. That wasn't what she wanted in life, but she had to want something.

 _What was I even going to do after I got married?_

The only real plan she and Jack had discussed were their living arrangements. Her lease wasn't up for another year, so she was going to use the apartment as a stopping point between her current job and his house. The problem? Her job wasn't happy about the wedding/honeymoon situation and told her not to bother coming back, which meant she was unemployed, not that it mattered. Her job was at a clothing store in a Metropolis strip mall, and not even one of the good outlet stores Muffy used to take her to. It was just a job, a starting point while she figured out what she was going to do next after graduation. She'd been out of school for three months and had nothing to show for it, other than this whole being left on her wedding day thing.

Francine sighed heavily and shook her head. She hadn't thought beyond the honeymoon. Getting a job wasn't her priority once they started planning the wedding, which happened fast. Jack's mother wasn't someone to wait once things got going, plus there were several family members planning summer voyages, so the wedding would have to be put off for an entire year if they waited. So, they didn't wait, and the wedding was on before Francine even knew what was really happening. One day she was casually looking at dresses, and the next the hairdresser was wrenching bobby pins into her hair and telling her not to move in a language she didn't understand.

 _And now I'm here, alone, jobless—_

It took everything for her not to start crying. She took a long sip of the coffee, hoping it would burn her tongue. It had long cooled now, though it wasn't cold enough to be disgusting. The tropical heat was already building, keeping the drink comfortably warm enough to drink, though she wanted it uncomfortable. She wanted to feel something, some form of physical pain to match the hurt in her heart.

At least the urge to cry passed as she cursed the coffee for not being hot enough. She sighed again and looked out to the ocean, where the snorkelers were emerging one by one and walking back to the shore. The men outnumbered the women two to one, she noticed, and all of them had bronze skin that didn't blind her in the morning light. It was tempting to walk down to the beach and check them out, to see who she could bed and how fast. It had been a long time since she'd been with anyone, which was unusual. Muffy knew her well enough to point that out because she'd seen it for herself. In high school, they were known for hooking up, a behavior that only increased once they got to college and no one cared about being whores. Then Muffy left college, somehow graduating in three years with a four-year degree, and flew all the way across the world to work at her father's resort. Francine didn't understand it until now, but she did feel her friend had missed out….or had she?

Leaving her half-finished coffee, Francine strolled down to the beach, walking with purpose towards the large community building near where the snorkelers were gathering. She walked past them, catching some glances from a few of the men. They were all older, most by ten years or more, and while some were attractive, she could tell they were the playboy type. None got more than a glance from her as she strolled up the community building, which was really an open pavilion for luaus and barbecues. Right now it was closed up, the fans underneath off. Francine kept walking, returning to the water line and walking away.

A scoff filled the air and Francine turned to see Muffy, "I thought you were going to sulk around your cabin all day. Did all that drinking fill you with nerves of steel?" Muffy grinned.

Francine shrugged, "I just wanted to walk around, maybe even the whole island. How often do you use this pavilion?"

Muffy shook her head, "I know you, Francine. You're not here to study architecture and map out the island in-person. Which one caught your eye? They certainly looked at you."

"None of them once I got close enough to see them all," Francine fired back, looking over the group again. She shook her head, "Nope, not a one."

"Picky, picky," Muffy scolded, leaning towards her, "The only one I'd consider for more than two seconds is the bigger guy with the banana hammock, and that's only because I know how rich he is…and how loyal he is to the girls he brings home."

"Girls? Loyal?"

"Not at the same time, silly!" Muffy gasped, looking over the group, "He lives here, but that's his thing: He finds girls like you on the island and lets them stay with him for the rest of their time here. I'd consider it if I were you other than the refund thing—"

"I'm still worried he's going to sue me over this. He has the means, and I know you do, but what if his lawyers are better?"

"Better than Daddy's lawyers? Better than Chip? Not a chance," Muffy replied, looking over the group, "Well, you shouldn't worry yet if he hasn't even called to attempt to cancel, which he hasn't. Mother would've called me."

"So the cell service here is good?" Francine asked. Hers was in her purse, but she'd turned it off at the airport and left it off ever since. She hadn't thought of turning it on all morning, namely because she didn't want to talk to anyone, but also because she doubted there would be any decent service.

Muffy laughed, "Are you kidding? Daddy has his own tower at the center of the island. He got deals with several companies to use it as long as he got first dibs on employee vacations. They promote our packages to their employees, and in return, we get proper service with most major carriers. Our internet is superb, as I'm sure you've noticed. I enjoyed Netflix this morning, and I like your choice yesterday. It'll do you some good to clear out that romantic crap.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I must head across the island for a hula session. Consider joining it tomorrow when you're done looking at the buildings," Muffy said with a playful tone, rolling her eyes as she said farewell to the snorkeling group. They waved to her as she walked up to the parking lot next to the pavilion. She got on a moped and sped away.

Francine watched her leave before heading back to the water. She was ready to go for another proper swim, but not here, not so far from her outdoor shower, which thankfully was now stocked with towels she could use to cover herself when she was done.

With her head held high, Francine walked back past the group and headed back towards her villa. Thankfully no one stopped her or tried to flirt with her as she made the trek back, stopping only once to admire a small fish swimming through the waters. Once back at her private span of white sand, Francine took off her maxi dress and shorts. She left her sandals on top of the items and waded out, checking for sharks before squatting down and letting the next wave take her.

After what was a nice swim, she turned towards shore and stood, shocked to see a man sprawled out next to her clothes. He was older than her but not by much, she decided, maybe five years her senior. He wore sunglasses and had a pair of binoculars around his neck. He was dressed for a safari rather than a day at the beach, and he was clearly there for her. He watched her as she emerged from the water and stopped in front of him:

"Can I help you?" Francine asked coldly.

"Well that's a rough greeting," the man replied in a foreign accent, British maybe but possibly Australian. Francine hadn't traveled enough to know the difference.

"Well you're kind of sitting on my dress," she pointed.

He gasped, "Oh my, I thought it was a towel. I do apologize, Miss Frensky."

Francine sighed, "How did you know my name?"

"I overheard you chatting this morning, and I watched you walk down the beach before my birding adventure. There are dozens of species on this island, you know. You should join me tomorrow afternoon," he offered with a smile.

"Sorry, I haven't decided what I'm doing tomorrow, but I'll add it to the list. Now please, leave me be," Francine said firmly. The man's rashness was making her uncomfortable. What right did he have to figure out her name and follow her around the island? It was certainly big enough to not walk over each other. In fact, she hadn't seen anyone else all morning unless she approached them.

The man laughed, "Look, I'm sorry to offend you, but I was hoping to keep you company. I heard you say you're not from here, that you're essentially a long way from home. I can give you companionship if only you'll let me."

Francine shook her head, "Sorry, I'm busy at the moment. I'll see you around the island, okay?" she said firmly, walking up the stone path. She slowed once she was under the cover of trees, hoping the man wouldn't follow. Thankfully he brushed himself off and continued up the beach, quickly disappearing as her perspective was cluttered with underbrush.

Francine groaned as she showered, this time staying fully clothed as she washed off the tricky sand. When she was done, she returned inside and looked for a way to lock the door. All she had was a stick to keep the sliding door from being able to open, so she used that. Relieved, she opened the refrigerator and found a fresh pitcher of fruit juice, non-alcoholic, and another platter of fruit. She pulled out the platter and brought it with her to the living room, sitting on the floor on top of a towel as she pulled up something to watch on Netflix. She snacked on the fruit before pulling out the pamphlet Muffy had given her.

There was almost too much to do on the island. Birding, hiking, snorkeling, and surfing were just four of the many options. She could learn to hula or take a hike around some of the historic ruins at three p.m. In the morning, she could bike around the island's many footpaths or enjoy a yoga session on the beach.

Using a pen she found on the coffee table, she put dots next to things she was considering, eagerly leaving off the birding because of her encounter with the foreign guy. She decided snorkeling wasn't a bad option, so she decided to take the evening session. She hoped one of those things would be with Muffy, but no names were given with the activities, just descriptions of what you'd be doing and where to meet. Even some of the times were loose—the evening luau could start as early as three p.m. on the weekends, but some nights it wouldn't begin until well after dark. It was up to whoever was throwing the party, as well as to whoever showed up. Francine didn't mind heading back to the café at some point, but she was content at the moment.

She looked up from the schedule and watched the last part of her show, but she picked another to watch next. She studied her purse a moment after she made her choice. She double-checked it and found everything was still in place, including her cellphone. She pulled it out and placed it on the coffee table. Part of her wanted to turn on her phone, namely because she knew her family would be concerned for her, at least her parents would be, but part of her wanted to keep it off and simply lie to everyone about having service. She could maintain radio silence for two weeks, couldn't she? This was supposed to be her honeymoon and that was the plan anyway. Jack insisted he wouldn't even take his phone.

Francine sighed at the thought of him and returned her gaze to the television. She watched and watched until she finally noticed the light fading. She looked out to see dark clouds, another evening storm. She went out to the deck as it started, watching the rain roll in sheets across the ocean, whose waves were high as the wind pushed the water along. Lightning flashed a few times, sending out waves of thunder that almost made Francine cover her ears, almost.

In the end, she ate more fruit and watched more television, the night approaching fast. She forgot how late Muffy would be, and with her stomach growling, she pulled out the island's map again. The bar was only one place for adult fun on the island. There was a pub not far from the pavilion, so she started her walk there. Before she left, she put on one of her nicer dresses, one that she was going to wear to her first romantic dinner with her husband. Now it was only fitting that he'd never get to see her in it, but everyone else would.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The pub was exactly what she expected to find on a private island. Like the bar, there was a distinct island theme, but the pub was more homely. Barstools were actually old rum barrels, similar to the ones used as table bases around the floor but smaller. Chairs were mismatched and appeared to be hand-made, probably from the trees and vines scattered around the island. The bar top itself appeared to be an acrylic of some sort, the material bringing together numerous trinkets, from bottle caps to leaves to seashells and more. Postcards were scattered around the wooden paneling in the area—obviously this pub was well-loved by the patrons who came there.

Francine took a spot at the bar and ordered a beer. She asked for a menu and was surprised when the bartender shook his head, "No menus here, love. You get whatever the chef cooks. Do you want something?"

"Please," Francine replied, immediately wary of the arrangement. She was used to not having a choice with Jack, who loved ordering for her and sometimes ordered the wrong things, but she at least knew what she was getting. She might not like it, but she knew from pretending to browse the menu what her options were. It was scary, but also exhilarating. She'd never felt so free.

A man with dark skin sat down beside Francine at the bar and waved to the bartender. This guy was obviously a regular, his drink coming from one of the taps. The glass was slid over the top, landing smoothly in the guy's hand. The beer was a perfect pour, its head topping over the glass, yet not a drop spilled.

"How do you do?" the guy smiled, turning to Francine and extending his hand. She allowed him to take her hand and kiss her knuckles. Francine blushed, remembering all the fairytale movies with similar gestures. She'd never had this done in real life.

"I'm fine, and you?"

"Life is always better with a beautiful woman at your side. Is this your first time here?" he inquired.

"It is. This is only my second night here," Francine replied.

He nodded, "Well I'm Marquez, a legend in these parts. I make my home here whenever things get too awful at home. I'm sure you know nothing of third-world struggles, but I've learned to make do."

"Third-world? Then how are you here?"

"Luck of the draw, my lady. My father's father was a former chief approached by the right man. While my people live in absolute poverty, my family is the wealthiest in the area. It has its benefits, and we use it to stay alive," he explained.

"Well, Marquez, why not help to bring your people out of poverty? Just a thought from a naïve American," she added, hoping she wouldn't offend him. Anyone from a third-world country who was that wealthy was bound to be dangerous.

Marquez laughed, "Don't think the thought hasn't crossed my mind, Miss…"

"Francine," she supplied.

Marquez nodded, "Miss Francine. It hurts me to see my people suffer so much, but the economy won't be stable if I bail them all out, plus we would likely lose workers. My people work hard for what the people who came to my village asked for, very hard. If we lose those workers, the quotas will not be met, and incoming wealth will stop, which means I just gave everyone in the village a one-time payment that killed all future income. Unless someone else comes along—"

"They're out of luck," Francine nodded, "Yes, that makes sense."

"It's troubling for me, but I made a point to rescue as many young women as I could. It's a harem system there, you see, though I do wish to be like you Americans with your monogamy," he said smoothly. He obviously wanted her, but hearing he had an entire army of underprivileged women at home made her wary.

He sensed her unease, "I must be going now. My domino buddies are here," he said, pointing to a table full of retirees, all of them male. Cigars were brought out and puffs of smoke filled the pub. Francine turned away as the barkeep brought over her food.

"Enjoy, my lady," he nodded, putting the plate before her. She had no clue what it was, but it smelled amazing, so she took a bite. It was one of the most amazing things she'd ever tasted, and she eagerly went for her second bite.

"That's one of my favorites, but he doesn't make it often."

Francine looked up to Muffy and wiped her mouth, "What were you doing out so late?"

"Working," Muffy said, waving the barkeep over, "I'd like what she's having, plus my usual," she smiled.

"Right away, Miss Muffy," he said, returning to the kitchen.

"So, have you made any new friends? You look like you're ready to snag the next lover who comes along in that dress. I'm definitely under par," Muffy said, gesturing to her uniform. It wasn't flattering on her, and the color didn't suit her either, but she was still pretty enough. However, Francine had known her long enough to simply agree with her to keep the conversation away from any arguments.

"There's a man over there, but he says he's the leader of some third-world village. He has a harem back home, so I'm not really interested," Francine whispered.

Muffy gazed through the haze of smoke and laughed, "Marquez is a rich boy from Houston. He was adopted by some white millionaires who gave him everything. The only thing he has back home is nothing but money and things, trust me. His whole 'third-world chieftain' act doesn't really work in the heart of 'I love America!' Texas," she grinned, shaking her head, "You have to watch these sly dogs around here. They'll tell you anything to get you in bed, literally anything."

"Well I'm still not interested then. I've had enough liars," Francine huffed.

"So you know why Jack left?"

"It must've been something big if he's willing to go through all that planning for nothing," Francine countered, taking another bite of her food.

Muffy nodded, "You're right. You told me there were two afternoons' worth of cake tasting, a wine tasting, and then all the clothes and the wedding shower, not to mention everything else. He certainly did stick it out through some horrible times for someone who didn't want to get married. I can't believe you just left without asking questions, and you left his letter too. That took some nerve, you know? That means there's hope for you."

"Yeah, well, it doesn't feel like it," Francine sighed."

"Well, you're here, aren't you? You came all the way to this pub without me, and you even chatted with a fairly good-looking guy—"

"Who chatted with me," Francine corrected.

"You let him," Muffy argued.

"Fine, so I did, but I wouldn't sleep with him. I don't see as many prospects as I hoped," Francine admitted. A little sexual healing was her goal for the night, but now that she was out, she wanted to finish her delicious meal and take the slow road home…alone.

Muffy sighed, "You're in the wrong place as usual, but your guess wasn't too bad. This is an amazing little pub, the best spot on the island for whatever they do."

"I was wondering where the tiles were if they're playing dominoes," Francine whispered.

Muffy laughed, "They don't know what they're playing either. They just sit around talking all night trying to one-up the other guys. Marquez only joins them to get better stories, but he's too young for half of them. Sure, a thirty-five-year-old guy totally blasted some guys in the Korean War," she grinned, shaking her head as her dish was brought out. While it still looked amazing, it was clearly not what Francine received. Muffy pouted, "I wanted what she was having."

"The chef changed your mind for you," the barkeep winked.

"Yeah, sure," Muffy said solemnly with a playful undertone, "Just tell him to be at my knitting circle on Sunday or I'll have his head."

"He wouldn't miss it for the world," the barkeep smiled.

"Knitting?" Francine asked.

"He's actually pretty good. We use those times to make blankets and scarves and things for disaster areas, and he's probably our fastest one. And he's never dropped a stitch. Me? I used to get tangled in the yarn before he coached me. It was fun to watch, this old man getting so frustrated with me. It worked though, whatever he taught me. I really enjoy that class now, but I used to hate it. The old women who come expect the best, and instead they got me. Now they get me, and they're disappointed for like half a second, and then we start knitting and life is good," Muffy explained.

Francine shook her head, "So I've looked through the brochure and marked the things I'm interested in. There's a birder I want to avoid—"

"The Brit?" Muffy grimaced.

"How did you know?" Francine asked.

Muffy scoffed, "He's a regular too, comes every year about this time to bird watch. He's a total creeper. He followed me to my villa once, and after security swept the area, he managed to sneak back in and watch me. He must've heard about your naked outdoor showers," Muffy winked.

"That's not funny, you know? What if he's dangerous?"

"Charles? Dangerous? Ha! He's just disturbing is all, too in-tune with the birds to be fully human. He's nothing to worry about, though he will be here until Sunday, so I would avoid the hiking activities until then, and seriously, watch yourself around those showers. I don't know what pristine forms so close by would do to him," Muffy shuddered, looking up as a pair of young couples entered the pub laughing loudly. Francine looked at them with an envious stare.

Muffy stood up, "Come on, shove that last bite and let's get going. We need to get your schedule figured out and fast. I have an early start and am eager to make sweet love to my bed sheets."

"Are there better places to meet people around the island?" Francine asked.

Muffy sighed, "You're strange, you know that? At first, you don't want anyone and you're wondering why you're here, and the next you're on an active hunt for the best dick in town. Pick one, Francine."

"Well if I'm here, I might as well take advantage of my surroundings. It would help me forget him," Francine replied, snatching up the last of whatever she was eating and shoving the last amazing bite into her mouth.

Muffy sighed again, "Well, again, not tonight. Let's get your schedule figured out, and then, if you've been a good girl, I'll tell you where to go to find the best people. You know the real answer is in these classes, right? You have an hour or two with some great people that you have to work with in order to complete your tasks. You really get to know people in that short period of time. It'll be more real than what you're trying to do."

"Apparently I'm trying to reclaim our youth—"

Muffy laughed heartily, "Our youth ended years ago. I'm not into the whole clubbing, "let's go drag a man to the parking lot for some ill deeds," thing anymore, and I know you're not either. You're trying to fill a pretty huge hole in your heart, which I get, but this isn't the answer. If you don't have a connection, it's not worth it. Besides, wouldn't that hurt him more? I mean, he was probably screwing around the whole time, so you should find people who fulfill you, people who complete you, if you're going to sleep around."

"Fine, I'll do the classes and snag someone then," Francine sighed, following Muffy onto a wooded path. Francine looked around, but she was having a hard time seeing, "There better not be an axe murderer waiting for us."

"Relax, it's a path to the beach. Walking it at night is something else," Muffy said, leading her out of the trees and onto the sand. The stopped to take off their shoes, and Muffy took off her uniform's khakis, before heading out to the water's edge.

Above them were more stars than Francine knew existed. Growing up in Elwood City, you could only see a lot of stars in certain places, namely on larger properties outside of town. In Metropolis, she did good to find Venus in the night sky, and even then it was usually too bright. She'd been on camping trips during grade school and college to some semi-secluded places, which let her know there were more than a few hundred stars, but those trips were no comparison to this. Thousands of stars spread above them, including bands that she recognized from textbooks.

"There's an astronomy club that Daddy runs. They meet every night without clouds because of this. Daddy's motto is 'You can see the universe from here!' I think he's right, you know? I've yet to see more stars, and I've joined him on his environmentalist's crusade to limit the island's light pollution and all that. This view is important, too good to give up. Plus sex on the beach with all this over your head is like a religious experience," Muffy smirked.

Francine shook her head, "I've never been into the whole astronomy thing before, but this changes my mind. Man, does this ever change my mind. What time is his class?"

"Eleven to two, weather permitting," Muffy replied, leading Francine up the beach, "He brings them to different points on the island, but he always meets at the pavilion you found. He uses it to recruit people whenever there's a luau," Muffy explained, pulling Francine up the beach.

"What's your hurry? This is amazing," Francine said, pulling out of her friend's grip and running into the water. She kicked up a splash, sending Muffy retreating to the sandy beach.

"I'm serious about getting to bed soon. I work here, remember?" Muffy called out to her over the roaring waves.

"Fine," Francine said, jogging with her up the beach, following the waves as she ran. They ended up back at the villa in record time, washing off their feet with the outdoor shower before returning inside.

Muffy looked over Francine's choices and helped her narrow it down. Most of the classes changed times for the Sunday after, but for Saturday, her schedule was set. She'd have breakfast after a yoga session on the beach, lunch with the hiking group, and dinner at the island's luau. It was set to be a fun day, one that she hoped would push Jack out of her mind entirely, and hopefully introduce her to his replacement.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Early the next morning, Francine awakened and put on a bathing suit. After grabbing a bottle of water, she decided to put on a dress over her suit, but she didn't plan on keeping it on. Yoga on the beach meant workout gear, but that's not how Francine had packed her things. This was supposed to be a honeymoon on a private island, so she had numerous dresses and bathing suits, a few t-shirts to sleep in, and not much else. She was supposed to spend her days and nights wrapped around her new husband, not wandering the island trying to find any man at all.

So she ventured down the beach and turned to walk past the other villas. The sun was up but not fully, though it was past what was sure to be a brilliant sunrise. Francine was slightly late, but she kept walking, taking off her sandals to make the journey more comfortable. She walked maybe a quarter of a mile before finding the group, most of them just like her. Francine took off her dress and piled her things together, joining the others in the sand as they followed the calm voice of the teacher, who was a young woman probably two years younger than Francine and ten times more flexible.

In the end, she was only slightly late to the two-hour session, which made the class exhausting. Eventually the sun was fully up, baking down on the strip of beach where they did their various poses. People stopped to apply sunscreen, and a few times people walked down to the beach to splash themselves and take a breather, but not Francine. She hadn't taken a real fitness class since college, since she met Jack and found better things to do with her time, so this was a treat.

Her body was screaming by the time they finished. She immediately found herself a spot where the ocean met the sand, sitting down in the coolness and looking out over the water. Whenever the waves would wrap around her, she'd use her arms to throw the cool ocean water over her. It was tempting to soak her head too, but she decided to wait. Her plan was to walk down to her villa after a break, shower outside to wash off the sweat and the sand, then have breakfast there before heading off to her bike tour of the island.

She was starting to regret so much physical activity so soon when one of her classmates sat down beside her. He was a young man, but not much younger than Francine. He was there with a group of women, one younger and one middle-aged, so he was clearly on a family vacation.

"You've done yoga before," he said plainly, following her lead and splashing water from the next wave over himself.

"A little," she admitted, "but not much. I had a gym membership in college and tried it a few times. The rooms were always too hot for me."

"Mom said that's the point, but I'm melting," he sighed, leaning back and letting the next wave wash over him completely. He sat up and looked her over, "I'm Michael, by the way."

"Francine."

"Nice to meet you, Francine," Michael said, looking out over the water, "I can't believe we're only here for a few days. Dad had a business meeting during family vacation time, so he dumped us off here for a good time. Asian cities aren't the best places for family trips."

"I wouldn't know. This is one of my first times out of the country," Francine admitted. She'd taken a historic trip to Italy in high school with Muffy, but that was a trip for school, planned to the letter by the strictest social studies teacher Elwood City had ever had. Every moment was micromanaged, a fact that irritated Francine to this day.

Michael shook his head, "Wow, I travel all the time, and you look like you belong here. I mean, I couldn't keep my eyes off you," he grinned.

Francine smirked, "Taking a boring yoga class with your mom and sister will do that."

Michael laughed, "No, no, I mean it. What are you doing later?"

"Just do whatever you're supposed to do with your family, Michael," Francine said, standing up and using the next wave to rinse the caked sand from the back of her legs, "Trust me. Family time is precious time."

"But can I see you again when I'm not with my family?" Michael begged.

 _Not a chance…_ , Francine thought, but she decided that walking away without a word was better. She felt him watch her leave, but there was nothing he could do to stop her. He was glued to his family, probably pulled away for a nature walk or some other mid-morning activity moments later.

Back at the villa, Francine finished off the last of her platters and looked over her schedule. She had thirty minutes to change into active clothes and meet up at the town center for her bike ride around the island. It was tempting to head back out to the beach or change up her plans and go on that nature hike through the center of the island, but she knew Muffy would find out and crucify her as soon as she got off work. Francine changed into some shorts and put on some tanning oil before making the short walk to the town center.

The island was arranged wonderfully, and it was clear that Ed had simply improved on what was already there. The building they met in was the local bakery, and Francine couldn't help but buy a small donut while she waited for the rest of the class to arrive. The instructor, a thirty-ish woman surrounded by a hoard of bikes, stood with a smiling face as she looked over the growing crowd. In the end, Francine was one of fifteen riders journeying through the city. The instructor, whose accent was hard for Francine to place, practically yelled to the others as they circled the village's square, telling everyone about the history without losing her breath.

When they were done circling the town center, she took them around the outer road to the island, the one that led to all the villas, as well as the lighthouse. They stopped there and waved to Ed Crosswire, who stood at the top with a pair of binoculars. A small group was with him scanning the ocean, and Francine soon realized why. They walked to the beach for a small break and came upon the day's scuba lesson. Two students with an instructor on shore while two other groups were out in the water. Ed was supervising from above with people who were clearly businessmen and not fellow vacationers. Francine did her best to focus on the scuba lesson. She had to admit it was fun to watch, but she still had no interest to do anything that adventurous. She wanted to join the snorkeling class at least once, but she'd probably only do it the one time.

The instructor led them back to their bikes and guided them through the finishing lap of the town's center. They stopped behind the restaurant, where half the class stopped to eat. The excursion was over, so Francine walked around some more, stopping in at a few shops before finding herself in the coffee shop again. She ordered a sandwich and a coffee and found a table by herself overlooking the beach. From her spot, she watched two older men with metal detectors scan the beach. They were obvious locals, so Francine studied them, wondering what their motive was.

The waiter delivered her food and nodded, "A woman lost a sterling silver bracelet on the beach earlier this morning. Those are different working men who sometimes help find things like that. They are very good, but they have lots of practice. Be careful with jewelry on the beach," he said, returning to the counter.

Francine sighed. She was still wearing her engagement ring, but if she lost it, the only one likely to be upset was Jack, if he even bothered coming back for it. He claimed it was a family piece passed down by a great aunt, but Francine didn't know what to believe anymore. Part of her wished she had taken the letter with her, but then it would be harder to pull away.

 _I just need to forget about him. He's probably already forgotten about me,_ Francine thought, taking the first bite of her sandwich and watching as the men converged on the same spot. The skinnier of the two squatted over the sand, and after some digging, he pulled up an old soda can. He heaved himself up—Francine could practically hear him grunt from where she sat—and they donned their headphones again, resuming their sweep.

The waiter returned with her drink, "You look much better today, Miss Frensky. I see the island breeze is doing you well."

"It is, but I shouldn't do so many physical classes in a day. I'm going to be really sore tomorrow," she smiled.

The waiter laughed, "A common problem. The island has a medical hut on the road between the inner and outer circles. Be sure to go there if you need anything," he said, bowing slightly before returning to the counter, where Michael and his family were ordering lunch. Michael was focused on the board, so Francine took the opportunity to leave the deck, following stairs down below. A picnic table sat on a stony alcove under the deck, so she put down her things, listening as the family took seats above. The mother sounded unbearable, complaining about the little shop. The daughter sighed but was obviously ignoring her, but Michael was quiet. Francine hoped he wasn't looking for her as she quickly finished her sandwich.

Finishing the hot coffee quickly wasn't an option, so Francine put her empty paper plate in a nearby trashcan and walked around the building to the front, sitting on the street and hoping Michael wouldn't see. She sipped her drink slowly but with purpose—she didn't want a boy like Michael. She needed a man, though not one like the Brit or Marquez. She didn't know who she wanted exactly, but she'd certainly found enough examples on who to avoid.

Muffy appeared and grinned, "Ready for my shopping tour. It's an hour of the best fun you'll ever have," she exclaimed.

"Let me finish this," Francine said, gesturing for Muffy to sit. Muffy looked around before taking a seat across from her friend.

Muffy sighed heavily, "So, did you enjoy yoga and the bike tour?"

"Yes, but I'm very tired now. Are you sure I can't just take a swim or lay around in a hammock all afternoon?" Francine asked, her tone pleading.

"After the shopping tour, maybe," Muffy groaned, shaking her head, "Have you met anyone interesting?"

"Not really. There was a boy in my yoga class, but he is just a boy. He's even here with his family," Francine grimaced.

Muffy nodded, "Sounds like Michael. He's such a flirt, but he is too young. He's only eighteen, which is legal, but you need someone your age or older, preferably older. They can take better care of you."

"I was just thinking that, but who else is there? I feel like I've had a good sampling of the island so far, and I really was hoping to find someone, but there isn't anyone. You said there was someone here, but who?" Francine begged.

"I said there COULD be someone, emphasis on the whole 'maybe, maybe not' thing. As you've seen, we're very spread out around here. There's a yacht club off on a voyage right now, for example, so maybe there's guys there. Maybe they're all out hiking or you keep passing them by. There's always someone around here, but I can't keep up. I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression of me," Muffy said solemnly.

Francine turned to her, "Why are you apologizing? This isn't your fault."

"I know it's not, but…it's been a long time since we were together, Francine, and I've had other people here who think I'll be my party girl self and take them to all the bars and get messed up with them. I can't do that. I did in the beginning before I realized how amazing this job was for me. I get to do so many different things every day, often with different people, and when I'm feeling like I want to do some office work, my mother puts me up and has me sell packages. I have whatever I want here, both luxury-wise and work-wise. It really throws people off that I'm not just here for the lifestyle. I genuinely enjoy working here," Muffy explained.

"I understand, but I wouldn't hold that against you. I'm happy for you. I have nothing, okay? When I get back, I don't even know where I'm going to go. I have an apartment, but what if Jack shows up? I'd have to pay to get out of the lease, but I can't do that, so I guess I'll just go home and have an empty apartment. It's already empty, I hope, so why not?" Francine said quickly.

Muffy shook her head, "Come shopping with me, now," she said, pulling her friend upright, "I want you to shop then do whatever. Go hammocking, go for a swim, take a paddleboard lesson—I don't care what you do, but know this conversation isn't over. By the time you leave here, we need to find you something to do with your life, and I hope you find a man or two to do it with," she winked, pulling Francine away from the coffee shop and to a nearby pavilion. This one was small and only helped provide shaded seating.

The women underneath were the better story. They were here for the shopping tour, and all of them were fifty and above, though most were clearly grandmothers. Some had lists complete with pictures of their grandchildren.

Francine backed away from the group, reluctant to join them. Muffy noticed but said nothing. She nodded to her friend and watched her cross the inner loop heading down to the beach on the other side.

Once Francine reached the sands, she took off her sandals and headed for the water. She was still dressed for her bike ride, so she walked back to the villa and changed into a clean swimsuit. She stood on the deck overlooking the trees, her mind wondering if anyone was watching her. She decided she'd had enough of the spot right outside the villa for swimming. Instead, she covered up with a maxi dress and went back into town, where she followed a worn path across the island. She crossed the outer loops and found herself on the island's one beach that was crowded. Children swam with their mothers close to the shore, most of them shouting and trying to splash whoever they could. Older children were further out, but only a few people were out so far she could hardly see them.

Off to one side was a small group playing volleyball. Francine joined them, picking the side with the stronger-looking girls. All four were sorority girls off for a holiday from some university in Europe, but Francine didn't care. She played competitively, and soon she was covered with sand from diving for the ball. She threw herself into the game, ignoring the outside world.

When the girls were done, she joined them in the water, finding this beach was slightly deeper than the one outside her villa. She swam around, leaving the girls and soon finding herself face to face with someone else out for a swim. He came up for air with a wide smile. Francine shook her head at Michael and went back to the shore.

Michael followed her, "Wait! At least tell me why you're avoiding me."

"You're a boy. I'm a woman, Michael. I don't play with boys anymore," Francine said coldly, turning around again and heading for shore. Michael's mother was reading under a large umbrella while his sister suntanned nearby.

"Please, I'm legal. Come on, I know how to show you a good time," Michael begged.

Francine shook her head but didn't look back, "Sorry, I need more than a good time."

Francine strutted towards the outside showers, washing off the sand before heading back to the path. She grabbed her sandals and maxi dress, carrying them all the way back to the villa. Once there, she called the room service number and asked about the hammocks. They were swift in delivering one and setting it up on posts just underneath the shade of the trees, but the hammock was still on the beach.

After a moment, she lay back and closed her eyes. It had been a long day, so she was soon dozing in the afternoon sun, happy to have rejected a suitor. Somehow telling Michael off got the biggest reaction of anything she'd done so far, and it made her feel quite good as she basked in the sunshine.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Muffy was working the night's luau, which meant she couldn't spend time with Francine, but that didn't stop Francine from going. She wore a slinky dress over some very nice underwear, her good luck charms to finally get some action, some real action from someone she actually liked. The luau was supposed to host anyone who wanted to come, even people Francine hadn't met yet. She walked to the meeting spot, the pavilion she'd found before, and joined the party.

Muffy was working at the bar that had been brought over from somewhere. It was rustic and made from local materials, but Francine hoped the vast piece was just an illusion. It looked heavy as it sat on the far side of the pavilion, and it was already hosting four guests at the stools in the front of it. Muffy worked with the bartender delivering drinks around. When Francine arrived, she ordered for her, picking a fruity drink with a couple of different liquors in it. Francine asked no questions as she accepted the drink and carried it over to the food line, a buffet-style affair featuring everything Francine could want and then some.

"The pig isn't ready yet," a large man announced. His apron was stained with sauce and honestly looked quite dirty, but Francine trusted him. She thanked him for the information and made herself a plate, carrying it to a table in the middle of the room and taking a seat. She was hoping to bring in someone nice by sitting in the middle of the pavilion where everyone could see her.

The first person to see her was Michael. Francine almost jumped, hiding her jolt by taking a sip of her drink. Luckily the boy remained with his mother, who even served his plate to the far table he chose to eat at. He was clearly upset with her rejection, but at least it had worked—Michael was definitely keeping his distance.

As Francine began to eat, more people began to arrive until she finally heard music. She looked up to see a small band made up of locals march up to the pavilion. They found their way to a small stage area towards the back of the pavilion and settled in, a few players trading their small drums for larger instruments. The music took on a Caribbean vibe as Muffy went around placing lanterns on each table. Now that the sun was going down, shadows overtook everywhere there wasn't a lantern, but Francine was surrounded. Muffy next hung other lanterns that were clearly used to ward off the bugs that were starting to manifest, and she made sure to put plenty near Francine. She then brought her a plate and another drink from the bar, winking before heading back to her position.

Francine ate and drank alone, a buzz soon overtaking her head. She was ready for action, ready for conversation, ready for anything. She looked up and glanced over the room. So far, everyone was older and mostly female, just like everyone else she'd seen on the island. She was beginning to think this was another bust, especially as people started to leave. This crowd clearly wasn't into the whole party thing, and none of them got up to dance. Francine was beginning to feel frustrated as a group of local men entered the pavilion, loading up plates before disappearing into the night.

And then she heard more music. The band stopped and the sound of a brass band filled the night. People stood to see whatever they could, but there was nothing yet. Just as Francine was starting to get disinterested in this new development, people started to point, and the source of the music appeared.

"The yacht club is back!" Muffy exclaimed, her voice carrying easily through the pavilion. Murmurs filled the air as the men approached, many of them golden brown from their days in the sun. Ed Crosswire was particularly tan as he led the men to the stage. Their instruments were put away, and soon they were eating and drinking at a group of tables on the far side of the pavilion.

All of them had looked at Francine, and as she continued to sip her drink, she could feel them watching her. She knew they were interested. She could see it in their eyes and feel it in her heart, but she had to do something to lure them over.

Francine was the first person to take to the dance floor. The band had resumed playing their standard Caribbean music, but this new crowd was still more interested in food and drinks than dancing. Francine hoped to change that, standing up and taking to the clear area in front of the stage. She moved to the rhythm, wiggling her hips and closing her eyes as she really felt the beat.

And then a large warm hand touched her hip. She opened her eyes to see one of the yacht captains in a uniform, and she practically squealed as he pulled her into a tango. Francine had taken a few dance classes in college, nothing fancy but enough to teach her how to move with another dancer. He whistled loudly as they began to move faster, the band matching pace as the pavilion's chatter diminished to nothing. All eyes seemed to be on them as they moved to the beat, faster and faster until the band climaxed, ending the song with a bang.

Everyone clapped as the yacht captain dipped his fellow dancer. On the way up, he pulled her close to him:

"Might I ask your name?"

"Francine," she replied with a husky tone.

"It's an honor to meet such a nice dancer. Will you join me for a drink?" he questioned.

"I will if you tell me your name," Francine grinned.

He smiled back, "My name is William, but you can call me Anchor. Everyone calls me by that name."

"Anchor?" Francine asked, letting him lead her to a small table by the bar as the band resumed playing behind them. She accepted a seat and leaned forward so he could push her seat in.

Anchor smiled, "It's a story for another time from my days on the open waters. What drink would you like?" he inquired. Francine pointed to the drink being held out behind him. Muffy handed him a smaller drink than what she'd had before, something Francine was grateful for. She was feeling quite buzzed, but she didn't want to get carried away. After all, she had finally met someone interesting enough to catch her eye, and there didn't seem to be anything wrong with him…yet. She wanted to be not so drunk if there did turn out to be a problem with him.

Anchor laughed and ordered a run drink before taking his seat. Muffy delivered it and disappeared, hiding behind the bartender so she could see exactly what was going on at Francine's table. Their new spot meant she was possibly the only one interested. Besides, people had taken the hint and finally gone to the dance floor, and the musicians had responded, their beats growing spicy in the darker hours.

"So, tell me about yourself. What's the name of your ship?" Francine asked.

Anchor laughed, "You get right to the point, don't you? Not everything is about my ship you know, but my ship is very important to me. I named her _The Rosa_ after my sister."

"Why your sister?"

"My sister and are very close. We had a rough childhood after our father left us. Our mother worked day and night to care for us, taking as many hours as she could, but Rosa took care of me. She made sure I was fed, made sure I went to school, made sure I had clean clothes—the works. She was only two years older than me, but she knew more than she should. Growing up that way will do that to you," Anchor explained.

"Has she ever been on her namesake?" Francine asked.

Anchor smiled, "Sadly, no. We went two directions, Rosa and I. I wanted the finer things in life, so I became a jack of all trades, working in whatever I could until I landed a dream job. Now I have extra money for things like this, but Rosa picked nursing. It fulfills her in other ways, but she can't just leave. She can't afford it, and she's too good for handouts. She lives in the Midwest too, so it's not like I can sail it to her door and make her hop aboard. I prefer life out here on the Pacific. I essentially island hop my way around the Ring of Fire, trying my luck at different ports."

Francine grinned and leaned forward, "Well why here? You sailed with the island's yacht club, so it must be important to you."

"Ed and I are good friends. We met at a port near here at a bar or something. I can't remember because we met many more times as we crossed paths. I've been in the area for several years now trying different trades and enjoying life. It's lonely at times, but I try to find people wherever I go," Anchor said smoothly.

The party seemed to intensify around her as he leaned towards her. They closed in and kissed, but it wasn't electric. Anchor's rum lingered on his lips, and she could smell the alcohol coming from her own breath. It was a powerful kiss, but not the way it should be. It didn't leave her wanting more, and the chemistry she seemed to share with him on the dance floor was gone.

And Anchor knew it. He downed his drink and took Francine's hand, leading her out onto the floor. They danced again, taking advantage of the first slow song of the night to dance close and smooth, sliding against each other as the beat played through the pavilion, echoing off the high ceiling and producing the perfect acoustics.

They kissed again, this time for longer and with more passion. Francine could finally feel the magic working, and she let Anchor kiss her again and again. When the slow song ended, they moved into the shadows, kissing more and more until the inevitable occurred. Francine was invited onto Anchor's yacht, and it was an invitation she couldn't refuse.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Francine was surprised to be blinded by sunlight. She opened her eyes and realized she was naked on the captain's deck, which helped the memories flow. Anchor had her on the deck, in his tight quarters, and finally on the captain's deck, where he left her to sleep in the wee hours of the morning. She stood up now, her eyes landing on the front of the ship. Anchor was standing in his underwear, some tight briefs that hugged his butt just so. Francine blushed before laying back on the deck.

She hadn't been with anyone in years, but it wasn't like she remembered it. College guys were there for one thing and one thing only, and once they had it, they were gone. There were no "round 2's" or new locations. They got what they wanted and left, and Francine was the same way. She wasn't interested in anything more because she wasn't looking for a relationship. She was looking for fun, short-lived fun with no strings attached.

And now she'd had a spicy night with a guy she met just days after being left at the altar. She groaned as she covered her eyes with her hands. She couldn't believe how fast this was going, but she also couldn't believe how relieved she felt. She was sore from the previous day's athletic events, both recreational and otherwise, but she felt free somehow, as if part of her had been released.

Looking back, Jack had oppressed her. They never danced like that, only the classy way courting couples should dance, namely because this was always at the family country club. Francine was used to that lifestyle thanks to Muffy, but she wasn't exactly impressed by it. She really liked how handsome he was and so many other things, but Francine hadn't realized how little spark they had. Jack's whole "saving himself for marriage" thing kept them from doing much either, though Francine wondered if he truly had waited. It was too long to wait, namely because they were missing out on so much. Being with Anchor had showed how much Francine had missing.

"Good morning," Anchor growled, crawling next to Francine and pulling her close, "I was thinking we have breakfast on the beach, then we spend the day on the water, just going around the island. I promise to drop you off at port tonight."

"You make it sound like you're leaving again," Francine said.

Anchor hesitated as he rolled onto his back, "I have an appointment five days from here with a very important client. I'm risking my schedule just by doing this, but I felt I had no choice. It's not like you can come with me, and I need some supplies flown in. Ed has arranged it and they aren't due in until this afternoon, so I technically have time."

"But?" Francine asked, hearing the hesitation in his voice.

"There's a lot to be done. I'm sorry, I shouldn't worry you with it," Anchor apologized, continuing, "I need to clean the ship and do some other things, things that would bore you to tears. I would rather spend the day entertaining you."

"I can watch if you keep that outfit on," Francine grinned.

"Perhaps, but you can't watch me everywhere. I'll figure it out if—"

"No, no, I don't want to put your meeting at risk. I wanted to do the snorkeling class today actually, and it starts at ten-thirty, so why don't we have breakfast and I'll just meet up with you when the delivery comes in? You said it's flying in, so I could go to the airport terminal and wait," Francine offered.

Anchor hesitated, but he agreed to breakfast on the beach. They hunted down clothes and took a towel out to the sand. A few minutes after they settled in, a staff member from the island delivered a picnic breakfast. Anchor fed Francine berries and she fed him bites of French toast. They sipped mimosas and looked out over the water.

Close to ten o'clock, Anchor escorted her back to the path. Francine was on the opposite side of the island, so she flagged down a moped and rode to her villa with one of the workers. Luckily the snorkelers were meeting nearby, so she joined them just in time for the start of the excursion. Today's teacher was the same girl from the bike ride, and while Francine listened intently throughout her instructions, she still wished Muffy was her teacher. Besides, she was eager to tell Muffy about her night, every dirty detail that she could remember. She was probably missing some, but she had enough to fill in the bigger gaps.

The group walked into the water and waded far out into the sea. The waves were higher today and there seemed to be more clouds, but Francine was strong enough to walk out with the instructors and the last quarter of the class. Everyone else stayed with the sand, their full bodies visible in the water.

Francine reached the drop-off and took a breath, diving under the water and swimming down. Once far enough past the drop-off, she could see so many fish and plants, though the water wasn't super deep. She knew she'd been in deeper lakes, not that she'd realized. The sea here was clear, the only obstructions coming from what few sand particles were being kicked up by the other snorkelers. Francine could see farther than she ever had underwater before, and it was a beautiful sight. She wished she had a camera, but that wasn't something she'd packed with her. The others didn't seem to have any either, even the worker, who was staying between the braver divers and the more cautious ones.

For over an hour, they swam around, staying down as much as they could to see as much of the sea life as possible. Eventually the instructor pulled them back to shore, and after a short break on the beach to talk about what they saw, the snorkelers went their separate ways. Some people went off to the island's center for shopping or to meet up with others, but Francine headed back to her villa, showering outside to remove the sand before taking a proper shower inside.

When she was finished, Francine dressed nicely and checked the time. She decided to hit up the bar for lunch, ordering a burger special and having it outside on the street. She watched people walk by, but none of them were like Anchor. None of them were as handsome, and none of them looked particularly exotic. Anchor definitely had that look to him, and it was nice to know she'd finally found someone interesting.

After finishing her burger, Francine shopped around the island, but she didn't find anything she wanted. She checked the time and headed to the airport and checked their board. While there were some arrivals listed, they weren't expected until later than Anchor said, and they all appeared to be passenger flights. Francine, disturbed by the discrepancy, approached the person working the desk.

"Hi, there's a cargo flight coming in later and I wanted to know what time," Francine smiled, making sure to use her best grin with the friendly agent.

The agent smiled back, "I'm sorry, but that's private information. Are you expecting a delivery yourself?" they questioned.

Francine shook her head, "No, sorry," she said, stepping out into the waiting area. It was small, just large enough for a group of ten people to sit together, but there wouldn't be any place to sit for anyone else. Francine studied the area and looked up as she saw Anchor across the runway at a building on the other side. He saw her and waved, jogging across and joining her.

"You came!" he smiled, hugging her close, "The plane arrives in thirty minutes or so. You're quite early."

"I wanted to make sure I saw you one last time. You're the first person of any real interest I've met since I got here," Francine admitted, letting him kiss her forehead.

Anchor sighed, "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm afraid most of the captains with the yacht club are pretty boring old men, no one to suit you. I wish I could stay longer, and I wish you could come with me, but we must depart. As soon as my good are loaded aboard, I must leave."

On cue, a plane sounded overhead. They moved to a safe viewing area and watched as the plane, a very small plane with only a few seats, landed on the grassy runway. Helpers from the island's terminal greeted the plane, helping a pilot and one passenger down a rickety ladder.

"Oh no," Francine whispered, tensing in Anchor's arms. She pulled away, "I have to go. I'm so, so sorry, but…you wouldn't understand. Ask Muffy about me. Maybe we can meet up again one day, but I have to go," Francine said quickly. Before Anchor could protest, Francine was running.

Francine had no idea where Muffy could be, but she knew better than to look around trying to find out. Muffy had been her best friend for years, and if she could count on someone figuring things out and stopping bad things from happening, it would be Muffy. Because her room had changed, Francine went back to her villa, but she didn't stay inside. Fearful, she decided against the beach too. She grabbed a chair from the deck instead and dragged it out into the woods, watching the villa carefully as her heart pounded in her chest.

He'd come after her, Jack, the man who had left her on their wedding day. He was here, and Francine knew this couldn't be good.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was after dark when Francine decided it was safe to go inside. Rain had been falling all afternoon, but the trees protected her from most of it. She was still chilled and scared as she entered the villa, immediately heading into the bathroom and taking a warm shower. When she was done, she pulled on a robe and curled up in the middle of her bed.

A few minutes later, a knock sounded, but Francine couldn't move. She was terrified it was Jack, but she didn't know why. Seeing him put fear in her, and her first instinct was to run. As much as she'd thought about it that day as she waited for him to hunt her down, she couldn't figure out why she felt that way. Something about the island made her scared of him, something about taking the honeymoon without him. She felt like she'd betrayed him, and now he was coming back for revenge.

The door opened and Francine held her breath. Muffy appeared with a basket and set it down on the floor beside the door. She looked exhausted as she shut the door and moved to the bed to be with Francine. She sat down in front of her, curling her legs under her.

"Has he found me yet?" Francine managed.

Muffy sighed, "No, but he finally relented and is staying in the honeymoon suite alone. I've avoided him as much as I could to keep from interrogating him. Why do you think he's here?"

"Well if he's trying to win me back, it's not going to work. Being with that man last night taught me a few things. I needed to move on sooner, and this rejection was just an invitation to do those things I've wanted to do for years and didn't notice," Francine said firmly.

Muffy smirked, "You dog you. Anchor doesn't do that with just anyone either. He has a very high taste of women, and you satisfied it."

Francine looked up sadly, "So he does that all the time?"

"Not all the time, but whenever he thinks he can get away with it. He's a nice man, don't get me wrong. He doesn't promise more than he can commit to, which is better than a lot of the other yacht captains, not that you'd be dumb enough to crawl into bed with them. Besides, I wouldn't let you. Anchor is prime real estate, a good hotel room, the best on the island," Muffy said excitedly.

Francine sighed, "But he's still namely for short-term stays, a few nights of fun before he hits the high seas again. I can handle that, but who am I going to be with now? And how can I do anything with Jack around? I know you told me to take classes, but I found Anchor at the island luau. Something like that will be the first place Jack looks when he inevitably comes looking for me."

"He's already looking for you, but that doesn't mean he's going to find you. Look, as soon as I found out he was coming, I put a plan into motion. You told me you were scared to go home and not have anything worth doing. You were basically going to move back home and commit your life to becoming the next crazy cat lady. Well, Mom needs some help in the office. We're going to do it, a team effort. You're going to work and I'm going to keep an eye on Jack to see what he's up to. It's not like he'll remember me."

"You met enough times—"

"And he's a self-centered asshole who never deserved you from day one but you were too love-struck to notice. There, I said it. Jack was never good for you, ever, and I hate that I went along with it now that it's gone so bad. You deserved better, but that's what your friends back home were for. They had to say something to you, I know it," Muffy said quickly and sternly.

Francine shook her head, "Ashley was cool with it, and so were all my other friends. His family liked me well enough. It was all going just fine until that letter got handed to me."

Muffy sighed, "This is why I hope what we're going to do tomorrow. Tonight, you're going to get a good night's sleep, and tomorrow you're going to see what you can help her with. You have a history degree, so they must've taught you something relevant to our work. If not, Daddy can take you the day after as long as he doesn't go out again with a fisherman or something. It's hard to get him back on land once he's been on water for so long."

"And if he has no use for me?"

"I guess we'll be apart again, but…if Jack is coming here to reconcile, he's going to find a way to approach you. What are you going to say if he asks to resume everything?" Muffy asked.

Francine shook her head, "I'm done with him. You can't just rip my heart out on my wedding day and expect me to forgive you. I don't even want to know why he did it—"

"Oh no, I want to know why he did it. More than likely, you'll finally get some answers to why he did this. If I'm wrong, you'll fly back into his arms and we'll continue our separate lives for eternity. If I'm right, you'll get some closure, which you need more than anything, okay? Now eat. I've got to do the astronomy class tonight so I'm going to freshen up. I won't see you until super late, but I'll be here in the morning. I'll take you to Mom's office and get you set up. It'll be fun, hopefully," Muffy said, yawning before heading out. Francine heard the door lock behind her, but she still checked the entire villa. There weren't many ways to lock up, but she could at least close the curtains to keep prying eyes from seeing inside.

Francine curled up on the bed and contemplated turning on her cellphone and checking the messages. If Jack sent her anything about his trip, it would be there. If people were looking for her, she'd get their messages. Basically every question she had about the outside world could be answered by that device, but she refused to turn it on. Part of her wondered if she even had a charger. The thing could be dead by now, so if she didn't have that charger, there'd be no checking anything.

But a short glance at her bag confirmed she'd brought it with her. Jack's was in the bag as well, his travel back-up so he could keep the amazing ones in his home office, work office, and car. This one was an off-brand, perfect for traveling in case he lost it.

Francine groaned at the conversation. The more she thought about it, the more her life was Jack was all a sham. She met him and fell face-first into a rut. They immediately became the couple from some rom-com of the middle ages, the "middle ages" being the 1950's. Nothing spicy ever happened back then, and if it did, it was a sly kiss in the shadows or holding a few fingers in the hallway at school. Francine and Jack did the same things together—movies, meet-ups at school-related events, and concerts. They sometimes drank together and made out in weird places, but that was as naughty as it got. Jack wanted to wait until marriage, and while he showed some hesitation about Francine not being pure, he quickly got over it. They were older, so of course the best prospects probably weren't virgins anymore. With the world's sexualized culture, the odds were simply against it.

But they got over it and did the proper things. When he proposed, he asked Francine's parents first, especially her father. When Oliver agreed, he picked a day and took Francine on the perfect date, which ended up with them getting engaged. Within days they had a date picked, and suddenly Jack's mother was in control and Francine's memory got fuzzy.

She knew the last part made her disinterested, but thinking back on their dating life was dull too. They never did anything special, and while he made an effort for her, it was still to his schedule. If he had to work late, she spent the night alone in her apartment, sometimes doing homework, but more often than not, she was watching Netflix in her pajamas just like every other single person in her building.

On those days without him, she was essentially a single girl, and looking back, there were a lot of them. The week-long conferences, the mandatory family vacation that was ruled "outside free," and all the other things meant Francine was home alone.

It also meant plenty of times for him to fool around and she'd never know. She wasn't fooling around, so he must've been loyal. Right?

Muffy was skeptical, Francine remembered. How could a couple go so long without the most intense form of intimacy? How could they get married without trying things out first? Plus he was a young man with needs of his own. If Francine was that frustrated, what about him, a self-proclaimed virgin working towards purity?

The pieces didn't add up, but Francine didn't think she wanted answers. What if Jack did have an amazing excuse that brought her closer to him? She couldn't run that risk. Her decision was final—as soon as this "honeymoon" was over, she'd fly home and decide what to do. Even if she wanted to work with Muffy's parents, she'd need a work visa for whatever country they were technically in, plus she'd need to pack up the apartment. If she wanted to do something back home, she'd have to put in applications and do a few voodoo rituals to get some good interviews. If she was super lucky, she might even find herself a job.

But she would move home if she stayed. Why pay a lease when she could go back to them? She didn't want to be in the same city as Jack anymore, so she could go home to search. She could look anywhere—maybe finding a job in the middle of nowhere or in another large city would be enough to get her away from her problems. She never have to look back, which sounded great. Why let Jack explain himself when he ripped her heart out?

So it was decided—no matter what, she wasn't going back to Jack and she wouldn't stay where he could find her. Now she just had to follow Muffy's plan. Working with her parents sounded okay, namely because she needed to do something. Romance was great, and she hoped to find another guy like Anchor before she returned home. But she had to think of her future too, otherwise she'd need a guy like Anchor to take her away, which could turn them into another Jack and ruin her life. She needed stability for herself first, though a little good sex along the way sounded nice too.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It was early when Muffy entered Francine's room, a platter in her hands that contained some breakfast sandwiches and a bowl of fruit slices. They ate in the silence that waking up too early often gave, and soon they were in their separate rooms dressing for the day. Muffy was in her uniform, but Francine was allowed to wear whatever she wanted, at least within reason. She picked another maxi dress, sliding on a pair of shorts underneath. She put on her sandals and followed Muffy outside, where a golf cart awaited them. Francine let Muffy drive, and off they went into the dim morning light.

The Crosswire offices were on the far side of the island behind the airport. They drove down a gravel service road and ended up at a three-story building made of concrete. It was painted white, giving off an uncomfortable glare as the morning sun touched the upper parts of the building. Francine got nervous just looking at the building, which Muffy immediately noticed:

"I don't know why it does that to people, but it was the government building on the island. I want to say the British built it during their brief reign here over a century ago, but they abandoned it and a dictator of sorts moved in. The locals were scared of them, but the hurricane sent them away. Now it's American soil and we're technically the only rulers. Private security for private owners seems to be enough for them," Muffy explained.

"Is there a dungeon?" Francine asked as they began walking into the building.

Muffy laughed, "Funny you should say that. I believe that's where Mom wants you to work today," she grinned, leading Francine up a staircase. They ended up on the third and top-most floor, which was divided by a long hallway. Millicent's office was close to the stairs, but Francine could see a door open far down the hall, a door that most likely led to Ed's office. Francine hoped to find out what all, and who all, the building held before she left.

Millicent looked around when the young women entered. She sighed, "Oh good, I could really use the help today. Francine, please, sit and tell me about yourself."

"She wants to figure out what you can do to help her," Muffy whispered, leading her to a chair. She turned away, "I'll see you tonight when I drive you back to the villa. Mother, she doesn't want to leave this building today."

"I understand, dear. Go," Millicent commanded, waving her daughter away. She sighed again, "Alright, Francine, Muffy said you have a history degree. I have no use for the outside world and its happenings, but there's plenty on this island and in our empire that needs help. Do you have any experience that could help me?"

"I mean, you could just tell me to do something and I'll figure it out. I'm okay with that," Francine said, not wanting to admit that she had no real experience. Working with Jack's family was a blur, namely because she was too infatuated with him to pay attention. Part of her still wondered if she actually earned her internship credits or if the family was just being nice to their son's new girlfriend.

Millicent nodded, "Okay, I've got a problem with a new design we're working on. One of our partners, a good friend of Ed's, has a private lake in the Midwest and quite a bit of land around it. He wants certain things to be on said land so he can open it as a private resort, much like this one but, you know, in the heart of America nowhere near a proper ocean. Can you help me figure out where to put things? There's a simulator on that computer you can use."

Francine accepted the task, writing down the log-on information Millicent gave her so she wouldn't need it later. Once the program was open and she had the file before her, she let the task consume her. It was much like trying to solve a puzzle, especially because each item was already programmed to take up so much space, but the resort's property only had so much space available. The lake took up much of the center of the property, plus there were already buildings there that couldn't be moved. Francine could understand Millicent's frustration, namely because this felt like a game and not real work. But it was real work, and Francine struggled with it for nearly two hours before sitting back and looking at it.

"It's not easy work, is it?" a man asked.

Francine turned around to see a tall, skinny man in a tailored suit. He extended his hand, "Matthew," he said, "and you must be Francine."

"I am, and you're right. This is a lot harder than I expected, but it's fun too," Francine smiled.

Matthew nodded, "Some would say that, but not us. I'm the accountant on hand around here, so my thing is more with the numbers and all that. Puzzles and properties and all that just isn't for me. I'm so glad Muffy comes in for the social media stuff from time to time. I think her mother would go crazy if she didn't have help with it."

"What all does she do online?" Francine asked.

"Where do I begin? The resort has its own social media pages, and we ask the different class instructors and certain workers to take pictures to share. Millicent then has to act as an editor of sorts. Everything that goes on those social media pages has to be approved by her first."

"Of course," Francine nodded.

Matthew sighed, "And then they have to come up with different campaigns and deals that benefit the entire company. You can't just give things away, you know? The best deals bring people in to spend money, and in the end, they spend almost as much as they would have without the deal. It's a little shady, but everyone does it."

"Oh, like those companies that offer you so much off if you spend so much money. People think, 'Hey, I'm saving two hundred and fifty dollars!' when they really just spent two thousand, which is what the company wanted in the first place," Francine said quickly.

Matthew laughed, "You're a natural!"

"Well I have a lot of practice. Muffy and I have been friends for ages, and shopping is practically her religion. I learned a lot over the years," Francine replied.

"Understandable, and maybe we can use that. The property you're working on needs someone like that. The guy that's the mastermind behind this is just that, a figurehead who really wants to use the property like his own playground. He'd love to make back some money on it though, which is why we need all of this. What you're doing will make him happy, but everything else makes the dream become a true reality," Matthew said, sitting beside her, "If you'd like, we can discuss this more at lunch. There's a cafeteria on the second floor, and I can get you whatever you want."

"I'd like that," Francine whispered, picking up on his slight attempt at seduction. Francine didn't expect to find any prospective lovers, but Matthew was certainly trying to be just that.

After a little more work, he called her out of the office and led her down a central stairwell. They went down one flight and ended up at the next floor. They crossed a main hallway and turned right, ending up in a vast room being used as a makeshift cafeteria. In reality, it was the compound's old ballroom, and the floor showed that. It was a wooden floor made with a distinct grain, not quite like the ones in the island's buildings either. This wood wasn't native to the island, unless whoever built the room got the last trees when building the floor. The room was huge, echoing their steps only if they were close to a wall.

Banquet tables were laid out around the room, and buffet tables were lined against the only wall with windows. The view wasn't spectacular, just the island's grass runway, so Francine sat facing an inner wall when she returned from the buffet line. Matthew joined her and tucked his napkin over his shirt, looking up with a handsome smile.

"So, what brought you to the island?" Matthew asked, a question that felt like a gut punch. Francine tried not to recoil as she unwrapped her silverware:

"I'm supposed to be on my honeymoon right now," she said flatly, hoping to leave it at that.

"Oh no, that sounds awful!" Matthew gasped, clearly feigning interest, though part of him did seem to be engaged. He'd just learned the girl he was chatting up had some serious baggage, and he clearly wanted to know if that baggage could affect his chances at bedding her, or whatever his end goal was.

"I didn't see it coming. He had a letter delivered to the bridal suite and I left without reading it. Why bother with someone who wanted so little to do with you that he'd leave on your wedding day, you know? I haven't turned on my phone either. I know my family might be worried about me, but my sister is probably still gloating."

"That's not very nice," Matthew interjected.

Francine shrugged, "She's the older sister, plus she's barely had any relationships, let alone one that could end in the wedding of the century."

Matthew smirked, "He left you after planning a wedding with that much grandeur?"

"I mean, his mom pulled all the strings, but yes. After all the fittings and the tastings and everything else, he chose to end it when most of his family and a tiny portion of mine mingled downstairs. We chose to have a pre-reception just in case anything came up, so people were having a good time. I don't think anyone saw me leave. They were having too good of a time," Francine sighed, shaking her head, "I hope I don't see any of them ever again."

"That can be arranged, but I'm sure you know that as a friend of Muffy's. She's very…resourceful," he said with a knowing smile. Francine suddenly realized he'd probably been with Muffy, and that made her want to pull back. Did Muffy have feelings for Matthew or was he just a fling she had when she was bored? Did he like her but wanted easy players? It was a game of questions she didn't want to participate in.

Francine finished most of her food and looked up, "I want to get back to my work now. Maybe I'll see you again before I leave tonight."

"Putting in a full day of work on your first day? That's good of you, and it's needed. Seriously, if you want to get away, have a chat with Millicent or Ed, or me if you'd like. We'd love to have you as part of the team," Matthew said, watching her leave.

Francine sighed once she got back to the office. Matthew was a nice prospect, but knowing she could hurt her friend put the brakes on that one. She didn't mind an office fling—honestly that was her favorite scenario despite Jack now tainting her love history. She loved the idea of meeting someone at work and having a sultry affair in the file room or in their cars during lunch. It was almost a fantasy of hers, but she wouldn't put her friendship with Muffy below a silly pornographic fantasy. She needed allies more than ever, and Muffy was definitely on her team. Who else would hide her from an ex she'd never even met?

So she got back to work, playing with the simulator and looking at the results. The complicated puzzle seemed to have no end. The client wanted a golf course, a hiking trail, a putt-putt course, and a go kart track on the area of land, but there were already houses, plus he wanted a few more cabins sprinkled in remote parts of the area. Putting one near the golf course meant committing to thousands of dollars in damage, possibly every year, due to stray balls hitting the structure. Go karts were loud, so if the people staying there wanted to relax during the day, they'd have to leave their cabin. Putting one near the hiking trail was just asking for trouble, both from people walking by spying on the people staying there and people wanting to use the cabin as a stop-over on long, hot days.

Francine played with a few more options without much success. She eventually took a break, standing and moving towards the window. Millicent definitely had the better view. Francine could only see trees at first, but then she caught the reflection of the sun off the water, so she knew what to look for in the gaps. There was also a path leading through the trees, probably headed down to the beach that she now knew was right there. There was also a small dock, she guessed. Ed seemed to enjoy to water, so why not boat to work or boat on your lunch break?

Millicent sighed loudly and Francine turned around. Millicent shook her head, "He's going to have to give something up, isn't he?"

"There's always something that doesn't fit. I think he should prioritize his needs. Is this a family resort? If so, nix the golf course. If it's more for adults, nix the putt-putt and the go karts and maybe add another adult activity if that doesn't seem like enough. But it doesn't work, not with the extra cabins he wants," Francine agreed.

Millicent nodded, "Well, I'll call him later on. If you'd like, there's a path to the beach over there, or you can hit up the recreation rooms. I can take you wherever you'd like, or my office manager can. Have you met Matthew?"

"Yes, he led me to the cafeteria for lunch," Francine replied.

"Good, he's a good man. He does good work as well, and I might just put his negotiation skills to the test. This man is not an easy one to work with, so he won't like what we have to say, but I'm glad you agree with me," Millicent said, sinking into her desk chair.

"I can work on something else if you'd like, just say the word," Francine said.

"No, not today. Matthew has some people doing inventory already, and he's already organized the invoices I'll need for this week's bill session. Wait, do you know how to do photo editing?" Millicent asked.

"I'm afraid that's one of those things I always wanted to learn but kept putting off," Francine admitted, which was definitely the truth. She always wanted the skill, but she was so focused on other things that she never learned.

Millicent sighed, "Well, if you do anything when you get home, pick that up and call me. I don't think you'd price gouge me," she grinned, standing up again, "There's some video games and stuff downstairs if you're interested."

"I think I'll go sit on the beach until Muffy arrives. If she gets here, will you tell her where I am?" Francine asked.

"I'll get the message to her. And Francine, thank you. You're welcome here any time," Millicent smiled, watching her leave. Francine heard her groan when she left, but she knew it wasn't because of her. The Crosswire's led a stressful life because of all their investments and projects, though they did seem somewhat happy. Muffy really did look happier than Francine had ever seen her.

Once she found her way out of the building, Francine watched a cargo plane land. Workers approached and unloaded numerous crates, but Francine didn't stick around to watch after that. She went to the wood line, following a worn path through the grass that ended up in the trees. Soon she was at the edge of the sand, so she took off her sandals and walked around, looking out to sea. Sure enough, when she looked to her left, Ed had a small boat attached to a decent sized dock. Francine grinned and shook her head, making her way towards a small wooden gazebo at the edge of the beach. She sat down inside, listening to the waves as she made herself comfortable. She had a long time to wait for Muffy, another two hours at least, and her early arrival time was getting to her. She lay back on the bench, closing her eyes and listening to the waves. They were comforting, seeming to rock her as the sound hit her. Soon she was asleep and happy, without a care in the world.

* * *

A/N: So I have an announcement about this piece. I want to do a rewrite, but not just any rewrite-I want to rewrite this piece so it's an original work. I've decided I'm still going to post the fanfic version in its entirety. I mean, I don't intend to publish the original version anyway, so that's not really an issue. I just want to fix some problems I had with this piece while I was writing it, and I feel the best way to do that is to go original and see what happens. I plan on doing this for Camp NaNo 2019, and my goal is that the piece is longer than this one so I'll have more to work with. This is a task: By The Sea has over 250k words in it, so a longer original is going to be a task, but it is one I'm looking forward to. Just thought I should let you guys know.

Also I'm working on the whole "y u no post?!" thing. Winter really got me down so I'm struggling, but I've made it a mission to post more during March, so maybe that'll give me the boost I need. Please remember to nag me if it's been a while since I posted and you want more. I don't mind and often reviews like that are enough to countact my lovely depression. If I'm posting it, 9 times out of 10 it's a finished product just sitting on my harddrive waiting on me to get my act together, so yes, please bug me if you need to. I don't mind at all.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Francine woke up to see Muffy looking down on her. Rain was hitting around them, and Muffy had clearly been out in it. Much of her hair was plastered to her, and her clothes clung to her in odd ways. She finally pulled off her uniform, revealing a little turquois bikini. Muffy sighed heavily as she piled her clothes on the bench opposite of Francine, but she in the center of the gazebo, sitting on the ground cross-legged and pulling off her sensible shoes.

"How long have I been asleep?" Francine murmured.

"It's only four-thirty, but the rain has sent everyone inside. At least Jack is no longer looking for you, for now," Muffy sighed, shaking her head, "That is one determined man. He knows about us too, so he looked for me all morning. I almost got away with it until that twerp at the coffee shop was all 'Yes, Miss Muffy! I'll take you to her!' He's lucky I have no say in who does his job or it wouldn't be him," Muffy said fiercely.

Francine shook her head as she sat up, "Well, what did he say?"

"I had him escorted away. I was in the middle of a shopping tour with some of the grumpiest old hags we've ever had on the island. Thank goodness they'll leaving on the next flight out," Muffy groaned, shaking her head, "but Jack is here to stay, I'm afraid. He's upset about having the honeymoon suite to himself. He told us it's a two-person vacation and he wants to be reunited with his plus-one, but it's clearly in the system that you and him aren't to share the same space, period. Daddy offered to kick him off the island, but Mother refused. That was a horrible meeting this morning. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it."

"That must've been when your mom disappeared for a while. I was working, and I was enjoying it. That new resort in the Midwest sounds interesting."

"Well the guy who owns it is a pain in the ass, as I'm sure you know by now. He won't start building much else for another year at the rate he's going, so don't get set on going there. At this rate, it'll never get done and then you'd really be out of luck," Muffy said, sighing heavily as lightning flashed over the ocean. Thunder rolled over them, gently pulsing through the gazebo as it passed. Muffy looked up to Francine, "I'll escort you to the villa when this is over. At least the astronomy club should be canceled again. I wonder if I'll have to show up again just to tell the few dumb asses who tried to go that it's cloudy and we won't be seeing anything. I really wish we didn't have that club. It's not like it's legitimate."

"Well I like it. I'd like to go before I leave, though it sounds like I'll be hiding again tomorrow. I like the work, but I don't see a career getting made out of this. Millicent asked me about my photo editing skills, but could I really work for her doing that?"

Muffy nodded, "She's been looking for someone who could do it without charging her a mint for years. Take a community course or learn from YouTube, then call her back. It wouldn't be the only thing you do, but it would be important to her. She does her best, but the right manipulation would put our photos on top of the world."

Francine looked out over the tumultuous sea, "I'll remember that. I just…why do you think Jack really came here? He's not just looking for me."

"He probably wants to apologize for whatever he did that you still don't actually know about, though he could also be here because his family is making him make amends. From what you've said, that's a big possibility," Muffy replied.

"I don't know if they would interfere—"

"They spent tons of money on a wedding that inevitably crumbled. I'd be pissed if I dropped several thousands of dollars and my son pulled some stunt like that. I'd make them win her back, I'm sure of it, depending on what he did. I can't believe you didn't bother with that letter," Muffy said firmly, shaking her head.

"I think I knew I was done before I realized I was done. Being here showed me just how much of our relationship was a sham. We were an office fling, and it should've ended there," Francine whispered.

"So that's how this started? I thought he was waiting until marriage," Muffy smirked.

"We never did anything, I swear it. I've never even seen his…you know," Francine said, sitting up, "All we ever did was go to the movies and all that. We hung out, even kissed some, but that was about it. I sound like I'm describing every high school boyfriend I ever had."

"Except you did things with them, at least some of them," Muffy countered.

"Fair enough," Francine said, shaking her head, "It never should've gone that far, and now look at me. I'm lost. I had a plan when I went into that internship to work for whoever I shadowed. I was going to do that once I was his wife, but now I have nothing. I don't know if I want to work here though either. I just don't know what I want to do with myself, and it's entirely his fault. If things had worked out, or if I would've broken it off in the beginning, we wouldn't be here."

"Well, what did he do in the beginning that could've been a turning point? You've got to find closure somehow, and I bet those moments never came up—"

"He missed a few dates, swearing he forgot," Francine interrupted, "and he lost one of my assignments not long after we'd started officially going steady. I had a few more weeks left, so losing that assignment sent me over the edge. I thought I was going to fail the whole course, but then he found it in his car, his fucking car!, the next afternoon."

"What was it doing there?" Muffy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What? I mean, I never asked, but—"

"You never asked why one of your important assignments was in the car. God, Francine, I bet he was using you to do his job. You're obviously capable. Yeah that project could be a money pit, but you helped reason with my mother so she could find a workable solution. You're smart, a firecracker, and if he has you at his side as his lawfully loyal wife, legally obligated by her marriage vows and the government's say in them, then he has unlimited power," Muffy said with a devious grin.

"Then why leave me?"

"Because you weren't the only one, because he's gay, because he's in love with his mother or his grandmother or his cousin! Who knows?!" Muffy exclaimed, standing up, "but you should find out. I should find out for you, be your liaison, your ambassador of sorts. I'll have dinner with him at one of the luaus, that way we'll be in front of everyone. Ooh, or the bar so I'll have powerful witnesses on my hands. Our barkeeps are tough. You have no idea how many people come here just to drink themselves into oblivion."

Francine scoffed, "I don't blame them, but are you sure?"

"I'll figure this whole thing out and get back to you. Maybe you should have your own private date while I'm away. Did you meet anyone interesting today?" Muffy grinned.

"I did, but I get the feeling you've already had your way with him," Francine replied.

Muffy laughed, "Matthew, of course. I thought he was away right now on Mom's business, but I guess he got back early. Yeah, I did, but it was just a fling, someone to take my frustrations out on. He likes it rough, like 'beat me until I bleed' rough."

"I'm good then, plus it feels wrong. I think I just want a quiet dinner at the villa by myself, if you don't mind. I can put on Netflix, light a few candles to set the mood just right, and if I want anything else, I'll close the blinds and figure it out for myself," Francine said with a sultry smirk.

Muffy shook her head, "Suit yourself. I'm going back to headquarters to call around, see if I can get that date set up. Why don't you join me and wait downstairs? I'll drive you to the villa when I'm done. I can even have the staff set up your dinner so it'll be ready when you get there."

"That sounds divine," Francine said, running with Muffy back to the large concrete building. It was easier to look at under the cover of the dark tropical clouds over the island, but it still gave Francine the creeps. Muffy showed her to a small sitting room filled with old magazines, most of them not organized. Francine thought that'd be a beneficial job she could do as she flipped through a few titles, one a travel magazine and the other one a sports magazine filed with hunky guys.

A few minutes later, Muffy returned. Her date with Jack was set for that night at six at the pub, an obligation her mother and father approved of once she explained the situation. Francine's dinner was already being prepped and sent over to the room, so it should beat her there.

Muffy drove the golf cart through a back road, a gravel path through the woods. They ended up on the outer loop between two different villas. A few moments later, they were outside Francine's building. A moped and another golf cart were in the villa's parking spots, so Muffy kept the cart on the street, staying seated while they worked. Francine stayed with her, waving when the guys left past them.

Once inside, the smell of delicious food was overwhelming. Francine practically drooled as she looked over the spread. She shook her head and looked up to Muffy, "Are you sure you don't want to join me?"

"Positive. You need this more than I do. I hope you don't mind me dressing my best. Sex sells," Muffy said, strutting into her room.

Francine went to her own room, changing into comfortable pajamas and bringing out a few pillows to the living room. She sat among comfort and piled a plate high before pulling up Netflix. As she officially settled in, Muffy appeared in a long red dress. She looked stunning, her damp hair performing just right. Muffy put on some lipstick and turned towards Francine:

"Well, I'm off to do this for you. Don't wait up, alright? I'm hoping he has quite a bit to tell me," Muffy grinned.

"No funny business, though I guess that would prove what you said before about him finding relief elsewhere."

"You're right, but that's not my goal, not at all. If he asks or acts too crazy, I will use it against him. If he acts too much of a fool, Daddy will have him out of here on the first plane tomorrow morning. My parents are fully on your side," Muffy said firmly, grabbing her clutch, "I'll see you tonight," she said leaving out. Francine heard the golf cart power on, and soon all she heard was her show.

For hours, Francine ate the divine food and watched television, starting with a show and ending up on a comedy movie—not a romance comedy, just a regular funny movie. She sipped the champagne and felt herself get buzzed, her laughs getting more and more ridiculous as the night slipped on. She knew she should be more nervous, but this was honestly what she wanted for her night. It was the perfect distraction, and she never really thought about Jack.

Soon she was asleep, sprawled out on the couch surrounded by the fruits of her labor. Empty plates were stacked wherever she could reach from where she sat, and an empty bottle of champagne sat beside her. When Muffy returned, the television was still on but not playing anything. She thought of waking her friend, but she decided not to. What she had to tell her was amazing, a story Francine probably wouldn't believe because Muffy didn't believe it herself. She needed time to explain it, so much so that she'd called her father from the restaurant and asked for the day off. He approved the time, only because of what she planned to do with it, and everything was settled. Now Muffy just had to break the news, and she hoped her friend would react accordingly.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Francine sat up and found Muffy hovering nearby with a basket full of breakfast items. She could smell a few of them, definitely more breakfast sandwiches like they'd had the day before, but Muffy wasn't unpacking them. Instead she pulled Francine's hand, moving her to an upright position.

"Okay, okay, I'm going. Calm down, okay? Are we really that late?" Francine groaned, looking around for a clock. Everywhere she'd ever lived had clocks wherever she was, but the villa was different. There was no clock, just windows to let in light. None was coming in through the windows, but Francine couldn't hear rain or thunder. Francine looked up, "What time is it?"

"Early, super early, I know," Muffy said quickly, "but we need to talk before we start our days, okay? Mom said you can help her again with a project she has, like the other one but different. She wouldn't say, but I have a full schedule and not much time, so get dressed, okay? Be out in five minutes."

Francine obeyed, dressing quickly and following Muffy outside. Francine was tasked with holding the basket as they drove across the island using another golf cart, except this one was bigger and had a single headlight to help see through the darkness. Francine could still see stars as they reached the runway. Muffy drove clear across it and parked outside the compound's front entrance. She then led Francine inside to a dusty room deep in the first floor. They pulled a sheet off an old leather couch after turning on the lights, though half of them were out, casting an eerie glow over the room. Muffy ignored it and spread out the basket's contents, dividing everything she could into two piles.

When she was done, Muffy looked up, "Jack had quite an interesting story to tell me last night about why he decided to do this. In short, he's here to win you back."

Francine flinched, "Win me back? Then why leave me in the first place? That makes no sense. Why dump someone on such an important day if you actually want to be with them?"

"He made this long speech about how everything was being done his mother's way, not his way, and how he expected better for you, something more personal, but it was really his mother's wedding, not yours or his, and it frustrated him. So instead of trying to get past your 'small army of bridesmaids'—his words not mine—he sent you that letter hoping you'd read it. He didn't realize how misinterpreted it would get apparently, and he doesn't seem to realize how much he just royally screwed up," Muffy groaned, shaking his head, "I questioned him about everything I could. He apparently believes in saving one's self for marriage, though he forgave you because it was love at first sight and he just had to have you. When I asked what the future was, that's when things got interesting."

"Interesting how?"

"Interesting in running away to the wilds and doing your own thing," Muffy said flatly, shaking her head, "I warned him you were already working through your options, that you were heavily considering leaving the country entirely to take on a new life. He didn't like the sound of that. He wants to follow you wherever you go."

Francine scoffed, "And leave his family behind like that? Abandon his mother and his clear shot at a good life? Why do that with a girl with no real prospects? I'm nothing without him, at least nothing similar. They were rich, Muffy, super rich. Not quite Crosswire rich but somewhere up there."

"See, I got that vibe from him too, so we talked about what he could do. The guy has no flipping clue, and honestly, I don't know if he could've dated you if it wasn't for your education. His mother loved you because she could include you within the family's business ventures. She's still upset that you're gone, though no one else really seems to care, except Jack. Jack wants you back, but he wants to follow you."

Francine sighed, "I don't think I can do that. I thought I loved him through all of this. We really did connect the moment we met each other, and I felt like I'd known him my entire life. The wedding was the inevitable next step, but him leaving me really got me thinking."

Muffy nodded, "I warned him that you were only considering this other future because you'd realized your life with him was a fever dream. He didn't like the sound of that."

"So he's planning some grand gesture to win me back?"

"That's why he's here," Muffy sighed, shaking her head, "He still wants to know where you are so he can serenade you with the island's band and win you back through song. He'd love for it to be public though, if possible. I told him I'd offer you the next luau, which he liked, but I don't think he realized I knew what you were thinking. I want him to get it over with so you can reject him one final time."

Francine looked over her food, "You really do know me so well. I mean, look at all of this. You're doing everything to make this work for me despite the circumstances, and you're right. I don't want to be with him, not like this. He'll just end up back at home, and I'd have to follow him. If his mother is that oppressive, she'd still be the one running our lives until her inevitable passing. It sounds miserable."

"Well, be at the luau tonight. It starts at seven, but I'd get there around eight. Make him wait for you, let the crowd watch and ooh and ahh, then tell him point blank that you're just not interested anymore. You had your one run, and his stunt killed it. There's no going back now no matter what he does," Muffy said, packing up the last of her breakfast, "I have to do the yoga on the beach class this morning. Wish me luck," she said, helping Francine pack up the rest of her food. Muffy led her up the hall to the stairs and gave her verbal instructions on how to get back to Millicent's office, but Francine remembered the way.

When Francine arrived, Millicent was with Ed in her office taking in the view. It wasn't the sunrise view Francine had been waiting to see since she arrived, but it was nice all the same. Francine greeted them and accepted her orders for the day—Millicent wanted Francine to look over her calendar and reorganize it, and the calendar was a huge electronic one filled with triple entries, nonsense, and shorthand that was impossible to understand. It took an hour for her to learn the codes before she could actually get to work, but she soon saw how important this was. A glitch had swapped some letters for others, a code that was eventually easy to spot, but it made the entire calendar impossible to read. Some entries were also repeated despite only being short affairs, items Francine noted just in case she was wrong.

By mid-morning, she was making quite a bit of progress, and then Matthew appeared. He was carrying boxes and boxes of something, boxes Millicent sighed at the sight of before pointing to Francine. The boxes were placed beside her, and then Matthew carried in a fold-out table from another room.

"Francine, you can pick that up later. Do you mind sorting these? They're pamphlets for the island, but they didn't wrap them, so now they're all over everything. They just arrived," Millicent lamented, shaking her head, "I wish that printing company could do something right for once. It's the third time this has happened. You know what? I'm going to see Ed about cancelling our business with them. There has to be someone else within flying distance who can print for us."

Millicent stormed out of the office, leaving Francine and Matthew alone. Francine opened one box and was greeted with what looked like a pile of the same paper, but once you got them in the light, she found they were pamphlets for the various classes and buildings on the island. Matthew whistled as he took in the sight.

"When you're finished, we could get some lunch—"

"I've got leftovers for lunch, sorry," Francine said, looking up to Matthew before looking back down at her work, "and I just need some time for myself. Sorry, maybe some other time."

"I'll hold you to that," he said, his phone ringing. He took the call outside, disappearing up the hall. Francine sighed and shook her head. She didn't intend to have lunch with him again. Besides, the whole island was about to know her business, though she knew plenty of other people already knew. Maybe that's why so many people were being so pushy.

After an hour, Francine was barely halfway through the first box. Millicent had reappeared, her mood improved despite the sorting process going on in full view in front of her. Whatever Ed said to her must've worked, if he was even there. Francine knew she'd heard a few boats, and she'd even seen a large sailboat pass by the island. She didn't blame Ed for going out on the water. If circumstances were different, she'd want to join him, especially since the day's work was much more tedious. Francine had fifteen different pamphlets sorted when she found five more different ones, including two in Spanish. It was a daunting task, and she just hoped no other boxes arrived, or, if they did, they'd at least by organized with rubber bands or plastic wrap, something to keep them all together.

It was slow going too with the work seeming to go on forever. When she was done sorting, she sat on the stairs outside the office to have her leftover breakfast, but she was soon back in Millicent's office working on the calendar again. She was craving sunshine, maybe a long swim, but she couldn't leave now. Millicent was trusting her to do the job, even if it was boring. That's probably why she assigned it to Francine—why do a job yourself when someone lower on the totem pole can do it for you?

It was after four o'clock when Francine finished, and she took the opportunity to get the rest of the day off. Millicent let her go, and soon Francine had hiked down ot the beach, her sandals in her hand. It was a long walk around the island this way, but Francine didn't care. She was at the water's edge, kicking her feet in the water and looking up at the clouds. The afternoon's rain storm was building in the distance, so she picked up the pace, jogging up the beach at times to get her closer to her destination—her villa, where she planned to put on her best dress and do her makeup to make her rejection of Jack even more damning.

But when she reached the pavilion, she found the afternoon's snorkeling class gathering on the shore. Among them was Michael, his sister at his side as they awaited the instructor's checklist. Francine pushed past them, walking up the shore, secretly screaming in her head for Michael to stay away.

But his mother wasn't there to police him, and his sister didn't notice when he slipped through the crowd with Francine, emerging at the other side and following her up the beach.

Francine heard his steps and turned to see who was following her. She sighed loudly, "I'm not interested—"

"Come on, please give me a chance!" Michael exclaimed, getting the attention of some of the members of the snorkeling class. An older man laughed and shook his head before elbowing his buddy, probably letting him know that a show was going on beside them.

Francine shook her head, "Sorry, but you're too young for me. Maybe in a few years, or if you find a proper way to take care of me. I'm enjoying my freedom, so you'd have to offer me something better."

"I can show you a good time, really treat you right, probably better than all those jerks out there," Michael pleaded.

Francine laughed, "I don't want any of those jerks either. I want to be left alone, and you should respect that. Groveling doesn't look good on anyone."

"You just don't like nice guys—"

"Oh here we go," a woman groaned behind them. Francine looked up to see Michael's mother staring them down, "I'm give minutes late and here you are harassing another woman. I've told you time and time again that no means no, and yet you abuse the human race. I don't know why I even bothered bringing you here. You need a conversion camp. There has to be one to stop your son from being a misogynist asshole like his father," she said loudly, shaking her head, "I'm sorry he's bothering you. He thinks you have to bow to him because he has a penis."

"I don't bow to anyone, Michael, especially not some kid. Go play in the water and leave me be. I've got places to be," Francine said coolly, expecting him to at least tone it down now that his mother had stepped in.

Instead he seemed to double down, following her again. Francine kept walking, and then she decided to run. No one else was on the beach as clouds began bubbling in. In fact, the snorkeling instructor was keeping everyone close to land, but rather than join them under the water, she stood vigilant for signs of lightning. Soon Francine could only make her out behind them, her red bathing suit standing out among the crowd.

Michael was still at her heels as his mother yelled out for him to stop. Michael wouldn't listen, so Francine decided to play him. If he wanted a game, she'd give it to him, and that game was "chase." She started at a jog, but when Michael kept pace, she broke into a full-out run. She was already warmed up from her walking and jogging on the beach, so her legs reacted accordingly, her powerful thrusts sending up sand behind her, sand that landed on Michael. He let out a primal yell as he tried to keep up with her, but the boy hadn't run more than a little bit his entire life, and he definitely couldn't keep up with Francine, who dabbled in track and cross-country throughout high school and college, eventually settling in with a run routine once her courses let up in intensity.

A leg cramp forced Michael to stop, but Francine kept going, jogging straight up to her outside shower and turning it on, her panting and pounding heart helping to drown out the thunder behind her. As soon as she stepped inside the house, rain poured down in sheets, blocking out what little view of the beach she had.

Francine caught her breath and had some water before getting into the shower. When she was done, she walked around in a towel trying to pick out an outfit. She saw new garments laying on a chair nearby, which usually meant that the island's laundry service had done her clothes, but today the bags looked different.

Sure enough, Francine unzipped an opaque garment bag and found a beautiful dress, a note pinned to the front that was written in Muffy's hand. She was sure to stun tonight, Francine thought, pressing the dress against her and twirling around. She returned to the bathroom, closing the door behind her so she could work her magic in complete peace. Tonight was going to be the night she fully regained her life.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Francine strolled up to the luau fifteen after eight. Muffy told her eight would be best, but Francine decided to leave at that time. This luau was in the center of the island, so it was a decent walk, especially since there were still puddles around from the afternoon rains. She could hear the party long before she could see it at least, which was comforting. To know that some of that sound would soon be directed at her was troubling. Telling Michael off earlier in the day gave her some strength, but Jack and Michael were two different people. Michael was a young kid infatuated with an older woman he could never have. Jack was a full-grown man with wealth and riches, one who could provide for her and take care of her, but he'd royally screwed up and needed to know Francine couldn't be bought.

When she arrived, she saw Michael's family in the back corner of the pavilion. Michael saw her about the time his mother did. She scolded him like the child he was, and Michael held his ground. He sulked, but at least he remained seated and didn't try her again. Francine did have to hold back a grin when she saw how tired he was. He was already stifling yawns and it wasn't even dark-dark yet.

Francine took a seat in the middle of the platform but close to the stage. She peered around for any sign of Jack but found none, though the area was crowded. People were forced indoors due to the earlier storm, and now they were ready to get moving again. The buffet line was invisible behind a squirming mass of at least a dozen people, if not more, and Francine decided she couldn't bother going over to it. Besides, she was here to reject her former fiancé, not chow down.

A waiter brought over a drink, asking her name first. When he found out it was indeed Francine Frensky, he disappeared behind a group of people surrounding a table. Sure enough, a hoard of middle-aged women was blocking Francine's view, but there Jack was, sitting alone with a few empty glasses, an untouched plate of food in front of him. The waiter said something to him before disappearing behind the extended platform where the band was playing. Jack soon followed her as a flash of color caught Francine's eye. It was Muffy in a bright uniform signaling that she was there before disappearing into the next building, the coffee shop, which was being used as the kitchen for the night's festivities.

The band's song ended and they took a short break. A waiter delivered a sample plate from the buffet to be nice, and while Francine wanted to resist it, she eventually picked up her fork and tasted some of the roasted meat. She could tell it was pork, which she wasn't happy about, but she'd tried it enough times to feel it was worth damning her soul for. There really was nothing better than a pig roasted the right way. Besides, she did everything else she could to be a proper Jew…at least sometimes.

The band returned from backstage, but now Jack was among them. He was out of place among the island's men, who had a distinct style to them. Jack was polished, his suit clearly tailored to fit him and made from superior fabric. It was hot though, which didn't help the nervous Jack as he stepped into the spotlights formed by hot-burning lanterns. The tropical air was one thing, but these lanterns radiated heat as if it were still noon. Even Francine was starting to perspire as he took center stage, accepting a small microphone. Francine grinned knowingly—he wanted this one location for his serenade so he'd have superior acoustics. She'd have no choice but to hear him if he had electronic help.

"This next song goes out to the love of my life. I know I've made a few mistakes, but I hope to make that up to you in time," Jack said with a steamy accent, getting a few tipsy women squealing nearby. People took to the dance floor, which was really just a small gap in the tables, and danced to the clearly Latin beat. It was nothing like the Caribbean music she'd been enjoying before, and the band was having a hard time keeping up. After just a few measures, she could hear someone go off beat, but they caught up before Jack started singing.

Jack was never the romantic type, Francine thought. He didn't mind chivalry—he'd give her the coat off his back in a snowstorm without thinking, and he always held doors for her and pushed her chair in and out for her. He took good care of her, but he wasn't romantic. He didn't sing love songs, so she thought. In fact, she didn't even know he could sing, not that he was very good. It was a Spanish song too, a language he clearly didn't know. She'd taken it in high school and college, six years of studies. She was by no means fluent, but she knew more than Jack, a lot more than Jack.

This song, which was supposed to be a romantic gesture, was really a song about a man's donkey running off into the hills never to be seen again. Death was brought up more than once—the song was clearly a metaphor for when the people you rely on die and you must carry on. It was not a love song, not at all.

A few women squealed in the crowd, clapping and looking around for whoever this love could be. Was it them? Could it be them? Oh, how romantic! He's trying to get her back!

Francine kept her face blank, eventually looking down and focusing on her next bite when the song got to a particularly dark part. She almost laughed, but she knew that would be too cruel. She turned her focus away to clear her mind, but she hoped she'd get to laugh soon. This was getting to be too much.

At the climax of the song, he stepped off the stage and offered his hand to her. While a few middle-aged women cried out in disappointment, others cheered for his beloved. Yes, return to him! Francine was supposed to be the girl from the romantic comedy running back into the arms of her man to live happily ever after.

She let him stand there, his hand extended, as the song ended. The band stopped, a few drummers a beat late because they'd gone off track again, and the luau became uncomfortably quiet.

Jack looked down to Francine, "My beloved, you know where my heart stands. You know how much I love you, how much I want a life with just you and I, with no interference from my mother or anyone else. Will you run away with me?"

"No," she said flatly. Her voice wasn't amplified by the microphone the way his was, but her firm resolve was clear to everyone. Murmurs filled the crowd as they passed along the news—she was rejecting him despite this grand show of love. She couldn't be bought with fancy singing and a hot suit, a literally hot suit that was making Jack sweat visibly.

"Please, my dear, I've made a grave mistake. Let me fix it—"

"No," Francine said firmly, standing, "I'm sorry, but you shouldn't have left me at the altar, not without a proper goodbye. You let everyone down that day, not just me, and I can't look past it. If you couldn't be bothered to stick it out until after things were official, what's to say you won't leave me when the going gets tough? No, I'm sorry, but no, I won't take you back," Francine said, grabbing her drink and leaving the platform.

Jack remained at the table, stunned into shock, so the band started playing again, this time music they actually wanted to play. The party kicked back up again, but it was muted. Francine could hear it from the table behind the coffee shop, but she didn't investigate it. Her intention was to finish her drink and leave the glass nearby so it could be washed properly with the others.

Muffy appeared from around the corner with two drinks in her hands and sat down across from Francine, "That was definitely interesting. Why were you trying not to laugh?"

"That song was about a donkey leaving his master," Francine grinned, "And 'muerte' means 'death' in Spanish. It's a song about loss and death, not romance and getting your woman back. God, he's so dumb!" Francine exclaimed, finally breaking into the laughter she'd craved from before. It was contagious, and soon Muffy was laughing too, though it clearly wasn't as funny to her. If she did do foreign language in school, she did the bare minimum, not picking up more than a few crucial words. That's what hiring translators was for anyway.

Francine shook her head once she finally calmed down, "You told me he was going to make a grand gesture, and, to be honest, it's nice to know a man is willing to make a fool out of himself just for you, but I'm done. I hope he sees that now, though I feel for him. I did care about him, and it hurts to see him like that. But…now it's time for me to find myself and find someone else for me. I don't think it'll be here though."

"That boy you've shattered the heart of is definitely getting a good sampling of what the romantic life has to offer. His mouth was still open when I left at you rejecting him too. I mean, Jack clearly has money, and he's clearly an older man. You've shown him it takes more than that to have a true relationship, but I feel for him too. I heard about your race with him. Well, his mother was shouting at him and I overheard. They took cover in the shop I was running," Muffy grinned.

Francine shrugged, "He wouldn't leave me alone, and I knew I could take him in a race. I guess he underestimated me, probably because he still thinks I'm a girl. Well, I'm a woman, a strong one. No one is going to control me."

"Amen," Muffy said, raising her glass. They took long sips before putting their glasses down again. Muffy looked up, "Mom said you looked bored today, but you were helpful. She thinks you have potential, so she's willing to put in a good word. I'll have the pamphlets for you tomorrow, probably when I get back from the afternoon hike. You should join us. You're off the hook for tomorrow."

"What if Jack finds me?" Francine asked.

"Well, we could have one of the workers shadow you all day to protect you, but I don't think he'll be much of a problem. Not only has he been rejected, but he'll have to sleep on a heart-shaped bed if he goes back to the honeymoon suite. It's not like he can bring anyone back, I'd think. Everyone knows he's after another woman," Muffy smirked.

Francine laughed, "The way those women wanted him, man, I don't know if I'll ever end up like that over anyone."

"You really liked Anchor, enough to spend the night with him," Muffy teased.

"He's nice, but he's on the move. He's probably got a few women in every port," Francine sighed, shaking her head, "I need someone who's just for me, and only me, but…I need a life too, and you're right about today. Working in an office doing menial tasks while in a place like this is gut-wrenching. I'd rather be like you, out among the crowd, leading people to their next task without looking like an animal herder. I want this life, but I will need to see the pamphlets, just to get some ideas."

"I'll have them, but, you know, if you know enough Spanish, you should put that on your profile. It'll be more appealing, plus it'll open your chances more. Just a thought," Muffy said, checking her phone. She groaned, "Astronomy club is a go tonight. I better get moving."

"I'd like to join you, if that's okay. I know it'll be late, but I don't feel like going home yet, and I guess the luau is a bit off-limits now, with both Michael and Jack there all disappointed. They should be drinking together right now trying to forget me."

Muffy laughed, "We uphold the law here. He won't be legal for a few more years, but maybe then he could. Come with me, but there's a wait. It'll be two hours before the class starts, but I have to sweep the deck and make sure the equipment works. You can watch and take in the island. It's a spectacular view."

Francine followed Muffy through tight alleyways that wove through the inner circle's buildings. They passed small huts that belonged to workers and their families, though many were still out at their various jobs. Francine guessed they made decent money working for the Crosswire's and their resort, but the hours were definitely long. They all seemed to enjoy it, she guessed, or they wouldn't still be there.

At the edge of town, they came to what was clearly an old church, though the crosses had been removed along with the stained glass. Regular clear glass filled the windows, and the pews and pulpit were now gone. Only the wooden floor and the stairs leading to the tower remained. Muffy led Francine to the top, revealing a wide-open deck area with enough room for twenty people to stand comfortably apart, fifty people if you wanted to get risky. The astronomy club's equipment was hidden behind a door, an area Francine guessed was the old bell tower itself. Muffy pulled out a broom first, sweeping in a distinct pattern as Francine stood at the balcony's edge.

She could see over the inner circle, and she could even see through the vast inner forest to the outer circle and its villas. The island looked small from here, but it was suitable. She could also see the ocean, the water reflecting back the moonlight. There were only a few clouds, but there were still hundreds of stars, probably thousands if Francine could count that high. She didn't understand why the astronomy club needed to wait so late. The view was already spectacular and it was only nine p.m.

Muffy came up beside Francine, "You don't really need a telescope, but it helps. I've heard binoculars are good too, but Daddy opts for real equipment so people don't start rumors about what we're really looking at up here. In all reality, there will be a few middle-aged men here, most of them members of the yacht club, who come up here to drink scotch older than our grandparents and chat about their investments. Very little stargazing takes place."

"Which is why you're so irritated about being up here," Francine continued.

Muffy shook her head, "No, I do enjoy it, though it sucks when newcomers come by wanting to flirt with me. I've been grabbed and groped, but Daddy gets on them so it only happens that first time, but that part does stink some. Otherwise, it's nice. Sometimes no one shows up, so I get to stay here and nap, maybe do some gazing myself. I learned enough from the yacht club guys, but I took some online courses to get to know the rest. I love my job because of how versatile it is. That's why I think you'd love it, but you do need somewhere bigger, some place better. I hope we find the perfect spot to you, one with good mail service or internet. We can become pen pals and write about our experiences."

"You mean all the broken-hearted lovers we leave behind after teaching snorkeling lessons," Francine smirked.

"See, you get it already. I broke Michael's heart a few years ago, the poor guy. He wasn't the last, and even the next guy won't get that honor. There's always people to meet, but choose wisely. The wrong fling could cost you your job," Muffy warned, checking her phone, "You should head back if you're not staying. I have time to walk with you if we leave now."

"What about you?"

"This island is my home now. I can handle myself in the dark, especially on clear nights like this," Muffy said, leading her down the stairs. They were quiet as they worked their way to the outer circle. Knowing how big the island was made the walk feel a lot shorter than it'd been feeling, but the magic was still there. She waved good night to Muffy before going inside and changing into comfortable clothes. She double-checked that the blinds were all closed before settling in on the couch, pulling up a show on Netflix before promptly falling asleep.

When Francine woke up, it was four a.m. and Muffy was slinking into her room as quietly as possible. Francine tried to ignore her, but it was hard not to notice the male form with her, his eagle eyes locked on Francine hoping she wouldn't wake up. Francine pretended not to notice, but she did turn up the television slightly, drowning out the noises she knew sounded a lot like whatever she and Anchor had done just a few nights before.


End file.
